Rabu, 02 Maret 2016

Orlando Tech Meetup


The 20 Best OTM Demos of 2015


It was a big year for the Orlando Tech Meetup. We held 12 meetups, with 55 unique demo companies. In August we hosted our first themed event, a maker edition featuring all hardware products, followed by Internet of Things in October, and Women in Tech in November. The November meetup also marked the four year anniversary of OTM, and we couldn’t be more grateful for the tech communities support.
Over the past 4 years we have featured 196 companies demo with us, spanning a wide variety of industries such as healthcare, finance, education, entertainment, IoT, and data technology. Out of those 196 companies, 54 have raised funding, combining for a total of over $150 million. We’ve had established companies, such as CodeSchool, PowerDMS, and BitPay demo with us, as well as early stage startups such as HotSwitch and SpaceSplit, that are clearly on the rise.
We look forward to seeing more innovations out of Central Florida in 2016.
Here are the top 20 demos of 2015. Note: they are in no particular order.  
Talon Simulations – Talon Simulations provides low cost and immersive Flight Training Devices which provide multimodal education for flight schools who are looking for an alternative to in-flight training and are dissatisfied with bulky and expensive simulators.
FattMerchant – Fattmerchant is a subscription-based merchant services provider offering unlimited credit card processing for no markups, no ancillary fees, and no contract.
Joicaster – JOICASTER makes it possible for brands & creators, who have live video content worth sharing, to be discovered & represented on multiple platforms; at the same time.
BookThatDoc – BookThatDoc offers a solution to both medical providers and patients by streamlining the process of finding and booking a doctors appointment online instantly.
Mend – Mend is Customer Service for Healthcare – Creating customer service healthcare experiences in your home or at your office with the touch of a button.
Viewpost – Viewpost removes the inefficiencies that businesses face during the exchange of invoices and payments by connecting people to invoice and payment information through a network of possibilities.
CareSpotter – Carespotter connects families directly with caregivers. Find local, professional Caregivers for your loved ones quickly and safely.  
GolfNow – GolfNow is an online tee time retail service. GolfNow is owned by NBCUniversal and is managed by the Golf Channel.
Flight Fishing – Flight Fishing is a free online service that connects users with updates on travel deals and flight specials. Flight Fishing generates revenue by collecting commission on the flights purchased through their site.
Veehic – Veehic is a consumer based used car marketplace with enhanced features to target a growing segment of the auto buying marketplace. Veehic allows sellers to list there car for FREE and be connected with people who want that make and model of car.
Augment – Augment is an augmented reality mobile application allowing businesses to simulate their 3D models in real world, real size and real time, create amazing interactive print experiences or empower their sales team with the most effective sales aid.
My One Resource – My One Resource is the simple, secure, and affordable online tool that allows you to organize and access all of life’s information at anytime from anywhere in the world.
Trobo – We create TROBOs, cuddly stuffed robots that read stories about science and math to children age 2-5 using iPads and iPhones.
Distrx – Distrx is a mobile marketing platform that uses beacon technology to connect consumers with local deals. Distrx is expected to launch in several Orlando Distrx such as Church Street, and Thornton Park. Distrx  
BeauGen – Perfect Latch – BeauGen brings mom-inspired innovation to life for breast pumping moms that help them conquer their breastfeeding goals.
Megafoto – Each fan is a Digital Citizen and Megafoto is the opportunity to stretch out their experiences engaging fans, creating brand exposure.
SpaceSplit – A mobile app for “space sharing,” connecting people who have extra space and would like to make money with people who are in need of space.
Limbitless Solutions – Limbitless Solutions designs and creates affordable, 3D printed, bionic arms for children without arms.
Hotswitch – The place where TV lovers can discover today’s trending shows and join watch parties to interact with their favorite fan communities.
JOOX – JOOX is the world’s first rewards-based music stock exchange. JOOX generates revenue by offering premium data and analytics as well as additional services to artists to help them further monetize their data (digital distribution, sync placement deals, etc.)

Tech news in Orlando


Most Popular Tech News Stories of 2015


Coworking Spaces Orlando’s


Orlando’s 6 Best Tech Coworking Spaces

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This article was reported by Valerie Cepero, Director of Cepro Enterprises and founder at Nerd Nite Orlando
The rising popularity of coworking is transforming Orlando into a hub for creativity and collaborative innovation. One of the most exciting developments in The City Beautiful is the increasing availability of these shared workspaces, which give startups, entrepreneurs, and freelancers access to ideas, resources, and networking that they can’t get at home or their nearest coffee shop. “Coworking spaces have seen a tidal wave of demand, driven primarily by [Orlando’s] tech and creative communities,” notes Dennis R. Pape, cofounder of Catalyst Spaces. Here we’ve gathered a list of the best places in town.
1. Canvs
101 South Garland Ave, suite 108
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Vibe: Sleek, laid back atmosphere with a Silicon Valley feel.
Canvs provides an open plan, modern workspace in the heart of downtown’s Cultural District, replete with state-of-the-art conference rooms, Gigabit Internet, a Bicycle Wall (aka vertical bike storage), a shared kitchen stocked with coffee, healthy snacks, and beer, and access to weekly events and programs. Although it’s geared towards tech startups and related businesses, they aim to make it easier for anyone to start their own business. Canvs is currently home to Starter Studio, Fyre, the Florida Tech Journal, and the Orlando Tech Association, to name a few.
Cost: Part-Time membership $100/month; Dedicated Desk $375/month
Contact Details: (407) 915-3903; canvs.org
2. Catalyst
1 South Orange Ave, 5th Floor
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Vibe: Airy, modern aesthetic combined with a warm sense of community.
Opening in mid-March 2015, Catalyst is designed to spark business innovation and growth by fostering relationships between entrepreneurs, tech startups, creatives, and independent workers. Perks include FiOS internet, Vespr Craft Coffee bar, private offices, a networked printer, learning opportunities, and coworking in other Florida cities. A few of the notable companies that work there include Bootstrap Academy, Yelp’s Orlando office, and Root Radius. Located on the top floor for the 1 South Orange building, it has a great view of downtown as well.
Cost: Community membership $99/month; Dedicated Desk $325/month; open 24/7 *
Contact Details: (407) 701-5577; catalystspaces.com
3. CoLab
37 North Orange Ave, 9th Floor
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Vibe: Bright, welcoming, and fun, with a palpable feel of positive energy.
Located in the historic Angebilt building off of Orange Ave, CoLab’s motto is “Connect, Collaborate, Coffee” – the 3 essentials for success for any small business or startup. In the spirit of creativity, any coworker with a dedicated office is encouraged to paint and/or decorate their office however they wish. CoLab is home to Creative Spark, Applied Informatics, and Social Hire, among their diverse group of businesses. Coworking includes access to shared work areas, special events, and unlimited coffee; not to the mention good vibes and friendly people.
Cost: One Day Drop-In $15.00; Full Time membership $199/month
Contact Details: (904) 417-8430; colabusa.com
4. Factur
520 Virginia Drive
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Vibe: Fun, exciting, woodshop feel.
Inspired by the larger “Maker” movement, Factur’s motto is “Learn. Create. Share.” As a member-driven fabrication laboratory and coworking space, they strive help people work, learn, and build a community rooted in science, art and technology. Although they aim to help companies who are starting up, they don’t house companies onsite. However, access to a woodworking and 3D printing room, and eventually drones, smelting, and blacksmithing, are among the included perks. Factur also accepts volunteers who are interested in learning about the skills they employ.
Cost: Part Time membership $75/month; Full membership $250/month
Contact Details: (407) 801-3228; factur.org
5. Swivel Spaces
315 E. Robinson Street, suite 525
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Vibe: Quiet, friendly, goal-focused atmosphere.If you’re looking for a professional office in a gorgeous building off of Lake Eola, then Swivel Spaces is the perfect match. A small, eclectic mix of tech companies, insurance agents, and freelance web developers call this coworking space home. Amenities include WiFi, a bright glass enclosed conference room, shared kitchen, bright open workspaces, and a gorgeous lobby with views of the Lake. Unlike the others in our list, it’s not specifically targeted to tech companies or startups, but it does provide a quiet place to get some work done uninterrupted, while still offering the opportunity to collaborate with fellow coworkers.
Cost: Dedicated Desk $195/month
Contact Details: (407) 843-6603; swivelspaces.com
6. Effin Amazing1020 W Church Street
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Vibe: Eclectic, restaurant-y, re-imagine Cafe TuTuTango as a steakhouse.
Effin Amazing is a digital marketing agency, so coworking isn’t their business model, but they do offer desks to weary designers, developers, professionals, so it kinnnnda feels like a coworking space. But it’s not. The space features a full lounge with free coffee, beer and ping pong, but as Effin Amazing founder Dan McGaw says, the atmosphere is a, “get shit done kinda place,” separating the lounge from the rest of the workspace. The office features five sizable conference rooms with ChromeCast projectors, 8×5 dry erase boards throughout, and is the only cowor … er … space on this list with free parking. All space residents also get free access to Bootstrap Academy, an education course on running a startup.
Cost: $2/hr, $10/day, $40/week, $150/mo (No dedicated desks)
Contact Details: dan@amazingcorps.com; effinamazing.com