Synapse, a non-profit organization founded to accelerate innovation throughout Florida, will host its first regional business event, Synapse Orlando, on Friday, Oct. 18.
From experience technology to digital wellness and smart city initiatives, Synapse Orlando will showcase the region’s innovation environment. For the startup community, the symposium will also present opportunities to learn about the latest transformational innovations impacting Florida’s overall business community.
More than 50 innovating businesspersons will offer insightful presentations about the latest technologies, business growth, and investment opportunities.
Synapse Orlando will also feature interactive opportunities through a variety of panels, workshops, and 20+ breakout sessions.
Entrepreneurs across the region can also gain access to Synapse Connect, an online platform that allows innovators to easily and quickly connect with the resources they need to accelerate success.
The purpose of Synapse is wide-reaching. It aims to bring visibility and opportunity to entrepreneurs, startups, and investors as well as talent, corporations, entrepreneur support organizations, service providers, and government leaders. Aiming to make Florida the center of innovation in the southeast, Synapse provides the state’s innovation community with resources and assets that, in turn, produce an abundance of promising technologies.
“There’s a lot more discussion about building the next generation of great companies here,” says Terry Berland. Berland is the managing partner of Kirenaga Partners; a seed-stage investment firm focused on finding promising companies in Florida.
He said there is a lot of excitement and coordination around the entrepreneurial community. “The region’s resources are becoming more connected, which is critical.”
Synapse seeks to further spur innovation through community action in the form of a crowdsourcing solution aptly called Synapse Challenges. Its objective is to aid organizations to solve real-world problems and create new opportunities for forward-thinking businesses and people.
Historically, innovation has been disconnected from and underserved by the investment community. An organization created for business leaders to both locate and share resources, Synapse is here to flip the script.
“Synapse was founded by entrepreneurs and investors looking to create a framework to connect Florida’s dynamic innovation communities more efficiently and effectively,” said Synapse President Brian Kornfeld.
Synapse Orlando is partnering with Orlando Economic Partnership to make this event possible.
"Synapse is all about getting connected to the right people,” said Kornfeld. “We believe that by hosting Synapse Orlando in collaboration with the Orlando Economic Partnership, we can create synergistic and intentional connections across the state, making Florida an even better place to start a business, scale a business, and innovate.”
Added Tim Giuliani, president, and CEO of Orlando Economic Partnership, “Synapse’s decision to launch its first regional event in Orlando further builds on the momentum of our entrepreneurial ecosystem as well as our technology-focused industries that have been vital to our economic growth.
“The depth of talent and expertise the summit brings to our startup community will propel the pace of innovation throughout the region by connecting our entrepreneurs with the ideas, talent, resources, tools, and capital they need to grow,” said Giuliani.
In January, Synapse conducted the Synapse Summit, a celebration, and showcase Florida’s most innovative people, companies, organizations, and technologies. The symposium took place in Tampa’s Amalie Arena over two days. It featured 111 breakout sessions, 415 speakers, 334 exhibiting companies and 5,542 attendees who experienced hands-on workshops, panel discussions, demos and keynotes by top business and thought leaders.
To highlight the strength of Orlando’s creative culture, Synapse Orlando is strategically aligned with Creative City Project’s IMMERSE, an annual city-wide performing, and interactive arts experience. This year’s event, taking place in the streets and public spaces throughout downtown Orlando, October 18 and 19, provides an open platform for more than 1,000 artists from more than 100 artists and arts organizations through performances and interactive installations.
The connection between Synapse and IMMERSE was facilitated by the Orlando Economic Partnership, whose Vice President of Innovation, Sheena Fowler, has been working to develop new alliances to connect Florida’s tech and entrepreneurial ecosystems.
“The partnership between the two events presents the opportunity for a creative collision between Orlando’s innovation and experience economy,” said Fowler. “It also builds on our momentum of the Rise of the Rest tour with AOL Co-Founder Steve Case whose venture capital firm, Revolution, chose Orlando for its kickoff to this year’s tour.”
“There’s incredible momentum building in our community right now,” Fowler said. “Synapse is one of the keys to unlock our future potential and continue to accelerate the success of our businesses. It is a resource that can bridge our entrepreneurs to the larger business community.”
Sponsorship opportunities are available. Click here to partner with Synapse and position your company or organization as a leader in Florida’s innovation economy
A daylong event, Synapse Orlando will be at Ace Cafe Orlando from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Ticket packages range from $49-$299 and can be purchased here.
