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NASA’s Artemis II launch poised to deliver $160M jolt to Central Florida economy
400,000 visitors and $160 million in projected economic impact, but the real win is proving the region can operationally support sustained space activity, which drives supplier networks and engineering jobs. -
Space Florida CEO talks Artemis II launch, future plans amid industry growth
Rob Long’s comments on regional capacity and future planning signal confidence that Central Florida can absorb growth, not just celebrate launches.
AI, HEALTH & THE OVERSIGHT LAYER
As Waymo prepares to launch autonomous vehicles in Orlando, a local company, Nighthawk Cyber, is building the oversight layer for artificial intelligence deployment at scale. Andor Health secured three national group purchasing agreements with Premier Inc. for its infrastructure spanning virtual care, clinical communications, and remote patient monitoring. This positions Orlando-based technology as the backbone for healthcare operations across hospital systems nationally, not a pilot program, but production infrastructure.
Meanwhile, a Central Florida startup featured in WebProNews and Spectrum News 13 is racing to build oversight infrastructure for the artificial intelligence revolution. This is exactly the kind of foundational work that doesn’t generate hype but determines whether these systems scale responsibly or become liability.
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Andor Health, the Provider of Agentic AI Software Infrastructure for Healthcare, Awarded National Group Purchasing Agreements with Premier, Inc.
Orlando-based Andor Health secured three national agreements with Premier, Inc., positioning its platform as infrastructure for virtual care, clinical communications, and remote patient monitoring across healthcare systems. This is how local startups become national infrastructure. -
The Watchers of the Machines: How a Central Florida Startup Is Racing to Build an Oversight Layer for the AI Revolution
While everyone builds artificial intelligence systems, someone has to watch them. This Central Florida startup is building the accountability layer that determines whether these technologies scale responsibly or become liability.
FOUNDER MOMENTUM & STARTUP TRACTION
Early-stage activity accelerated this week with the conversations and pitches that determine whether startups stay in the region or relocate when it’s time to scale. Starter Studio held Demo Day at Tech Hub Orlando this week with strong turnout as their some of the pre-seed cohort pitched to investors and the broader ecosystem. Cohort members included: Derek Kaplan (Aeonix), Roberto Baptiste (FloodSense), Shamiyon Jett (OViiE), Joe Casalese (RoofBids), and Andrea Dattilo (VeraAI Technologies) showcasing companies spanning climate resilience, software infrastructure, construction tech, and enterprise software. This is exactly the kind of pre-seed pipeline activity that feeds the region’s growth three years from now.
Groundswell Startups and New World Angels hosted the Product Futures Summit, bringing angel investors and founders together to discuss product strategy and capital deployment. These are the relationships that keep companies local through Series A instead of moving to Austin or Boston.
ZenaTech opened its 23rd global Drone-as-a-Service location in Orlando, focusing on government agency clients. This proves that drone technology companies are choosing Orlando for defense and government customer proximity, not just logistics. Craftable, a hospitality SaaS platform, announced a partnership with Orlando fintech Finexio for AP payments-as-a-service, showing how Orlando’s hospitality tech expertise is building B2B software that scales nationally beyond theme park customers.
Gaming and interactive media remain core regional strengths, with the Orlando Game Jam & Orlando Gaming Expo returning February 19-22, bringing developers, creators, and technical talent together in collaborative build environments.
— Sheena
CEO, Innovate Orlando
sheena@innovateorlando.io
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Investor Highlight
Florida High Tech Corridor is a vital force in Central Florida’s innovation ecosystem, bringing together world-class research institutions like the University of Central Florida and a collaborative network of industry, academia, and economic partners to grow high-tech industries and opportunities across a 23-county region. Anchored by Orlando’s thriving technology community,
The Corridor fuels innovation through strategic research partnerships, workforce development programs, and initiatives that help startups and established firms alike advance cutting-edge technologies and talent pipelines. Its dedication to boundary-breaking collaboration and community-driven innovation accelerates economic growth, strengthens Orlando’s role as a regional tech hub, and fosters long-term prosperity across sectors from aerospace to life sciences.
Learn more at: Florida High Tech Corridor
Innovate Orlando News
Orlando Tech Summit & Awards
Join 250+ executives, founders, and innovators powering Central Floridas tech boom in defense, simulation, entertainment, and health. Experience Mayor Buddy Dyers opening, Starter Studio startup showcase, and live Tech Community Hall of Fame induction from Orlandos premier venue.
Network in the expo hall with 25+ startups, grab lunch on the rooftop terrace, and cap the day at Creative City Projects Immerse afterparty. Pre-event VIP Reception (Feb 19) unlocks exclusive access to speakers and sponsors.
Secure your spot.
AGENDA | ORLANDO TECH SUMMIT & COMMUNITY AWARDS
Date: February 20, 2026 | 12 – 5:30PM
Location: Dr. Phillips Center | DeVos Family Room & Rooftop Terrace
12:00 – 2:00 PM | LUNCH, EXPO HALL & INNOVATION ROUNDTABLES | ROOFTOP TERRACE
Join founders, investors, corporates, universities, and community partners for lunch, sponsor exhibits, and curated topic tables focused on AI & immersive tech, gaming & simulation, health, fintech, smart cities, and talent. Attendees will also have access to investor and mentor office hours and lightning introductions from key ecosystem organizations.
2:00 – 2:05 PM | OPENING REMARKS | DEVOS FAMILY ROOM
Welcome from Innovate Orlando CEO, Sheena Fowler followed by remarks from City of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer to set the stage for an afternoon focused on Orlando’s innovation future.
2:05 – 2:25 PM | WHY ORLANDO, WHY NOW? STATE OF THE ECOSYSTEM & VISION 2045
A fast, data‑rich look at the Orlando Region’s tech economy, talent, and capital flows and how they connect to the vision of becoming a top‑10 global innovation hub featuring a panel including: Andrea Wesser-Brawner (FL High Tech Corridor), Mike Harding (UCF), and Destin Wells (Orlando Economic Partnership) moderated by Innovate Orlando CEO, Sheena Fowler.
2:25 – 2:35 PM ORLANDO TECH COMMUNITY AWARD | SPARK AWARD PRESENTED BY USTLER DEVELOPMENT
The Innovate Orlando Spark Award celebrates emerging leaders who are new to Central Florida’s innovation scene but already making a meaningful impact: recent graduates, career changers, and new residents whose fresh perspectives, bold ideas, and collaborative spirit are quickly elevating others. Finalists will be recognized, and one Spark Award winner will be named as this year’s standout “new catalyst” in the region.
2:35 – 3:05 PM | MOONSHOTS & MAGIC: CENTRAL FLORIDA’S INNOVATION ADVENTURE
Engineers who’ve built across Central Florida’s simulation, defense, entertainment, and space industries share stories from the region’s $7 billion tech ecosystem. Moderated by Kyle Morrand of Mirror Factory, this session traces Orlando’s technical DNA from JFK’s moonshot and Disney’s EPCOT to today’s convergence of physics-based simulation, XR, AI, robotics, and digital twins. This is Orlando claiming its position as a tech hub by telling the stories that prove it already is one.
3:05 – 3:15 PM | ORLANDO TECH COMMUNITY AWARD | LEGACY LAUNCHPAD PRESENTED BY MASSEY SERVICES
The Launchpad Legacy Award honors non‑technologists who champion and enable our innovation ecosystem: investors, mentors, educators, policymakers, community leaders, and business professionals who share their expertise, networks, and resources so entrepreneurs can thrive. In this segment we recognize those essential ecosystem pillars and present the Launchpad Legacy Award to one leader whose collaborative work has transformed potential into measurable impact across Central Florida.
3:15 – 3:50 PM | STARTER STUDIO STARTUP SHOWCASE
Founders who have built and exited companies through the Orlando ecosystem share what worked, what was hard, and what they wish the region had in place for the next generation, offering practical lessons and honest reflection.
3:50 – 4:20 PM | CAPITAL MARKETS FOR ORLANDO: OUTSIDE MONEY, LOCAL IMPACT
A candid fireside chat featuring Ken Hall, Partner at DeepWork Capital (50+ portfolio companies backing Southeast startups from seed to growth), and Sal Rehmetullah, co-founder of Stax (Orlando’s first tech unicorn at $1B+ valuation; $300M+ raised) and CEO/co-founder of Worth AI ($25M seed round in 2025 led by TTV Capital). Together, they will unpack why many of Orlando’s biggest success stories think beyond our local ecosystem and are built with global ambitions and networks from day one. The conversation will explore how these dynamics influence scaling companies, making investment decisions, and what must change for Orlando to develop true long-term staying power, not just breakout wins.
4:20 – 4:50 PM | KEYNOTE: LOYAL PYCZYNSKI, HEAD OF METAVERSE EMERGING EXPERIENCES, META The Simulation of Magic: My Journey Building Orlando’s Most Iconic Tech
From the high-stakes world of military simulation to the creative halls of Walt Disney Imagineering, Loyal has spent his career at the intersection of reality and imagination—all starting right here in Orlando. In this intimate closing keynote and fireside chat, Loyal takes us behind the curtain of some of the city’s most iconic technical achievements and shares how his local roots paved the way for leading teams to apply world-class engineering to the art of making magic.
4:50 – 5:20 PM | ORLANDO TECH COMMUNITY HALL OF FAME AWARDS PRESENTED BY EY
The Innovate Orlando Hall of Fame inducts three established technologists, engineers, inventors, artists, and innovation leaders with more than a decade of exceptional achievement who have helped transform Central Florida’s innovation ecosystem. Inductees are recognized for technical mastery, creative excellence, business impact, and their sustained commitment to mentoring, investing in, and advancing Orlando as a leading innovation hub.
5:20 – 5:30 PM | CLOSING COMMITMENTS + TRANSITION TO IMMERSE
A closing synthesis that pulls together the day’s debates, founder stories, and capital insights into three clear priorities for Orlando’s tech ecosystem, followed by an invitation for attendees to make concrete commitments toward the region’s innovation future. Attendees move directly into IMMERSE programming to continue the conversation with live experiences, art, and activations across downtown Orlando with a Joybreak hosted art crawl to continue the celebration.
AMPLIFY CENTRAL FLORIDA CONSORTIUM: VISIBILITY FOR THE REGION’S INNOVATORS
Central Florida is emerging as a national hub for technology, simulation, space, health innovation, and cleantech but small and mid-sized enterprises often lack the resources to compete with global brands shaping online narratives. The new Amplify Central Florida Consortium provides shared-investment marketing infrastructure for forward-thinking companies, delivering enterprise-grade branding, multimedia production, and strategic communications.
Membership tiers (preferred rates through March 2026):
- Visibility Package: $450 (BlinkCo. Mag feature reaching 1M+ viewers)
- Video Essential Kit: $2,975/mo (monthly production session, 3-mo commitment)
- Lifestyle Story Kit: $4,025/mo (30-day content plan + cinematic video)
- Prestige Feature Kit: $5,075/mo (8-12 short-form videos + BlinkCo. distribution)
Led by Amóre Marketing & Productions, the Consortium elevates individual companies while strengthening Central Florida’s competitive profile.
Perfect timing ahead of the Orlando Tech Summit, contact Soyini Chang (soyini@blinkcomedia.com | 646-932-0907) to explore membership.
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