Orlando is now known for being more than just a tourist and retirement destination.
Instead, it is becoming a center for tech, finance, defense, and training companies.
Insider was told by executives from Luminar, EA and Stax why the tech scene in this country is thriving.
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Red 6, a defense and technology startup, has opened a hub in Orlando for its tactical augmented reality system.
It is one of a long list of companies that has offices in central Florida, such as Lockheed Martin, Oracle and Verizon.
People have long viewed the Sunshine State primarily as a retirement destination and vacation spot. However, groups like the Orlando Economic Partnership are working to make it a tech hub.
Insider was told by Tim Giuliani (the Partnership's president) that everyone in Orlando knows the Disney story. "The space race is the part of the story people don't remember or don't know."
More than 70 years ago, NASA began performing Cape Canaveral launch operations. It is also home of the Kennedy Space Center, US Army, Air Force and Navy simulation command centres, which have led to an influx in technology, defense and training companies.
Giuliani stated that there is a cluster of companies here, which has been developing over time and is now reaching a critical mass. "You are seeing more companies move out of California and New York."
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said, "We have made great strides to grow our reputation as a place where tech companies can open, expand and relocate and thrive but also be close to some of the most innovative leaders in the world."
Orlando is a city that has talent, transportation, and low taxes
Insider was told by executives from Luminar, Electronic Arts, and Stax that Orlando's large talent pool made it easier to hire in the region.
Suneera Madhani (founder of Stax, an Orlando-based SME payment platform), said, "We have all the great colleges that are literally within our backyard." These colleges include Valancia College, University of Central Florida and University of Florida.
Giuliani stated that there are half a million college students located within a 100-mile radius from downtown Orlando.
Jason Eichenholz, Luminar's CTO, stated that "we have been able to tap in to that talent." Around 400 people work for the self-driving LIDAR startup, with approximately 60% of them based in Orlando.
Eichenholz said that in the early days of Luminar when we met with potential customers and they would have one LIDAR engineer, there would be a millennia worth of people and women who were experienced in LIDAR technology. This gave us an unfair advantage over our competitors.
According to the executives, it was simple to find workers from other states who wanted to relocate to Orlando.
Daryl Holt, vice president of Electronic Arts, stated that the Orlando studios have more than 850 employees, some of whom are from the region, some who moved, and many UCF graduates.
Because of the state's warm climate, low living expenses, and absence of income tax, migration to it has boomed.
"Who wouldn’t want to move to Florida?" Mahdani stated. He added that many of Stax's middle managers and C-suites moved from New York, California and Atlanta.
Eichenholz stated that some young tech workers moved to California to work at companies like Google, Apple and Facebook. However, once they have a family, they were able to "exceptionally well" in being able attract them back to Florida.
According to the executives, Orlando was a friendly place and had a vibrant tech community. Madhani is a board member of Starter Studio, which is a venture-tech accelerator. This helped her to create Stax in 2014.
Holt stated, "It's an amazing nexus point where industry, education and government all row in the same direction."
Giuliani stated that Orlando is well connected. Brightline will launch in 2022 a train line linking Orlando to Fort Lauderdale, Miami and West Palm Beach.
Giuliani stated that "Obviously Silicon Valley and New York are not going to go away." "There will be more for everyone else."
