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Florida Tech becomes first American university to operate electric plane (By Elina Shirazi)

Posted on August 23, 2021

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – The Velis Electro is Florida Tech’s new electric plane. It is the first university to fly and operate an electric aircraft in the U.S. The tiny two-seater is waiting for U.S. certification, so Florida Tech is flying it experimentally to help the Federal Aviation Administration learn more about the plane by providing data […]

UCF receives $500K to support NASA’s Artemis program (by Garfield Hylton)

Posted on August 20, 2021

UCF is one of seven universities to receive a $500,000 grant to support NASA’s Artemis program. NASA’s Artemis program wants to send people back to the moon and “create a robust presence there over the next decade,” according to a university press release.   https://www.orlandosentinel.com/space/os-bz-ucf-receives-five-hundred-thousand-dollars-support-nasa-artemis-program-20210816-ghjr32glbzbtdnk7tgvgquxtvu-story.html?utm_source=Florida+High+Tech+Corridor+Council&utm_campaign=0eeda3b6de-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2021_03_23_05_32_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_4ef4711ee1-0eeda3b6de-438577146&mc_cid=0eeda3b6de&mc_eid=7dc591ba61

U.S. Air Force Awards DiSTI Three Basic Ordering Agreements

Posted on August 18, 2021

The DiSTI Corporation, the world’s leading provider of virtual maintenance training solutions, has been selected by the United States Air Force for three 5-year Basic Ordering Agreement (BOA) contract awards for both Commercial and non-Commercial Research & Development for Live, Virtual, and Constructive Training Environments, as well as Big Data Analytics. “DiSTI is proud to […]

LEVERAGE THE LAB UCF’s path to research prominence (by Ryan Lynch)

Posted on August 6, 2021

Now, a year into his tenure as president, Cartwright wants to establish UCF as one of the nation’s top 50 public research universities. The college currently is tied for No. 77 in U.S. News and World Report’s rankings for top U.S. public universities, which includes considerations for research dollars spent per student. Public research universities are […]

Defense contractors increasingly woo venture capital dollars (by Alex Soderstrom)

Posted on August 5, 2021

Indeed, a pair of high-tech defense firms based in and relocating to Central Florida demonstrate the rising interest in the sector among startup investors. For example, Santa Monica, California-based Red 6 Inc., which will open a technology hub in Orlando, raised $30 million in a Series A round earlier this year. Likewise, Melbourne-based Tomahawk Robotics Inc. in […]

Tomahawk Robotics closes biggest Space Coast VC deal of the year (by Alex Soderstrom)

Posted on August 5, 2021

A Melbourne-based robotics company landed the biggest venture capital deal on the Space Coast this year, a testament to its experienced team and a sign of growing venture capital interest in the region, according to a local investor. Tomahawk Robotics Inc. closed a $10 million venture capital round in April, according to data released in […]

Huntington Ingalls Aiming to Boost Sustainment Business with Unmanned Ships (by Jon Harper)

Posted on August 3, 2021

Huntington Ingalls Industries, the nation’s largest military shipbuilder, is gearing up to construct new robotic vessels for the Navy, but it also sees major business opportunities in sustaining the platforms, according to company officials. The Navy’s most recent update to its long-term shipbuilding plan, released in June, envisioned as many as 140 unmanned surface vessels […]

Jacksonville-based The Desoto Group moves its HQ to Orlando (by Ryan Lynch)

Posted on July 29, 2021

Desoto Group works directly with energy companies in the Southeast, such as Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) and Florida Power & Light. Its services include project management and engineering, as well as emergency storm response. The company has grown its headcount from six to 12 in Orlando, and hopes to double that again to roughly 24 […]

Orlando tech firm The Garage to triple revenue, hire 100+ as it strives to revamp health care (by Alex Soderstrom)

Posted on July 28, 2021

The realization struck Pranam Ben as he walked through a hospital parking lot. Ben was returning to his car after a bout of stomach pain put him in the emergency room of an Orlando hospital before he was discharged with no diagnosis — but plenty of bills. That walk 13 years ago was when Ben realized the […]

TECH, TALENT AND VC Can Orlando capitalize on the ‘Great Reshuffling? (by Alex Soderstrom)

Posted on July 25, 2021

The opportunity to change the message has arrived in the Great Reshuffling, a term coined by Zillow to define the rise in cross-country relocations during the pandemic. Powerful tech magnets like Boston, New York, Seattle and Silicon Valley have lost some of their pull amid the rising cost of living and more remote work, said Information Technology […]

Video game studio Iron Galaxy hires 100-plus. It’s still growing (by Alex Soderstrom)

Posted on July 23, 2021

An uptick in video game play and sales in 2020 triggered rapid growth at Iron Galaxy, which has hired more than 100 people between its Orlando office and Chicago headquarters since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, Blasko said. The company is not done growing, with nearly 20 openings and 20-25 hires a year anticipated […]

Record VC activity leads to strong Q2 for Orlando technology startup investments (by Alex Soderstrom)

Posted on July 23, 2021

Here is more on the region’s investment deals of $5 million or greater last quarter: Kore.ai: The Orlando-based artificial intelligence company landed $30.8 million. Beep: The Orlando-based autonomous shuttle operator got $23 million in a Series A round led by Intel Capital, part of Santa Clara, California-based Intel, and Sunrise, Florida-based Blue Lagoon Capital. ThreatLocker: The cybersecurity […]

They built careers in Manhattan finance. Now they plan to revolutionize check cashing in Orlando (Alex Soderstrom)

Posted on July 20, 2021

Rajib Das and Alok Prasad have spent decades successfully working in the financial industry, but they saw many consumers get left behind by traditional banks or unable to access them at all. The founders launched the company in Orlando because of their familiarity with the market, anticipated local demand for Cash Republic’s services and the […]

University of Florida supercomputer No. 1 in U.S. for energy efficiency and Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Posted on July 19, 2021

The University of Florida’s HiPerGator AI supercomputer has been named one of the most powerful worldwide, according to rankings just released by TOP500, the most referenced global ranking of high-performance computing systems. The rankings mean UF is home to the most powerful university-owned supercomputer in the nation. UF ranked No. 1 in the U.S. on the Green500 […]

Orlando firm raises $31M to boost virtual medical research and hire dozens (by Alex Soderstrom)

Posted on July 16, 2021

ObvioHealth USA Inc. raised $31 million in its latest fundraising round, with $18.5 million originating from a partial Series B round, the company announced July 1. The investment allows ObvioHealth to invest further in its virtual clinical trial platform. It also will enable dozens of new hires this year, founder and CEO Ivan Jarry told Orlando Business […]

Fighter pilot training firm to open Orlando tech hub and create jobs (by Alex Soderstrom)

Posted on July 14, 2021

A high-tech fighter jet training company will land news jobs in Central Florida as it establishes operations in the region. Santa Monica, California-based Red 6 Inc. will open a technology hub in Orlando, the company announced July 12. The new office is part of the defense startup’s move to Florida, as it also will relocate […]

DoD program moves to Orlando, opens Artificial Intelligence (AI) contract opportunities for local firms (by Alex Soderstrom)

Posted on July 13, 2021

Orlando companies will be close to the action of an emerging defense program that will offer business opportunities in the fast-growing artificial intelligence field. The team that oversees procurement for the experimental U.S. Department of Defense program is moving to Central Florida Research Park, said Kevin Mikalsen, director of military, academia and business collaboration center […]

Minority Business Incubator has Launched a Black-owned Law firm in Orlando to focus on IP in Tech (by Natalia Jaramillo)

Posted on July 11, 2021

Fairfax, Virginia-based Harrity & Harrity LLP law firm’s four-year minority business incubator has launched its first Black-owned firm in metro Orlando this month. Attorney James Bennin, 41, is the founder and owner of Onyx IP Group law firm at 3065 Daniels Road, Suite 1013, in Winter Garden, the first fully Black-owned intellectual property law firm launched […]

CATI Training Systems Joins the National Center for Simulation

Posted on July 8, 2021

CATI Training Systems Joins the National Center for Simulation. Ozark, AL., June 25, 2021 CATI Training Systems, a leader in innovative Image Generator & Simulation Solutions, has become a member of the Orlando-based National Center for Simulation (NCS), joining hundreds of other industry members in the modeling, simulation, and training community. CATI looks forward to […]

Startup pursues ‘micro-influencer’ marketing strategy on TikTok, Twitch and more (by Alex Soderstrom)

Posted on July 8, 2021

Fluix LLC was founded by University of Central Florida engineering graduates, but a TikTok tech reviewer injected credibility into the Orlando-based firm’s liquid-cooling PC hardware. DaPoets, who has more than 78,000 followers on TikTok, earlier this year tested and reviewed the product. DaPoets was impressed with the the product, meant to improve PC performance. This […]