Invest: Greater Orlando conference highlights tech integration, sustainable living, and education trends
November 2024 — Central Florida is trending in the right direction, and positioning itself as one of the most dynamic regions in the United States. Over the last few years, the Sunshine State’s most popular city and area among international visitors has become a thriving hub for multiple industries and across different sectors, ranging from healthcare and real estate to banking, education, biotechnology, aerospace and advanced manufacturing. This message was made clear at the Invest: Greater Orlando 2023-2024 Launch Conference, where regional leaders shared their insights on how technology is propelling growth for transportation and healthcare, the role of sustainable living in architecture as well as construction and real estate projects, and strategies to align education with traditional and emerging economic needs.
The event took place Thursday at Inter&Co Stadium’s West Club, drawing over 175 business leaders, policymakers, and key stakeholders for a morning of networking and insightful panel discussions.
In her opening remarks at the event, Capital Analytics’ president and CEO Abby Lindenberg provided an overview of the current economic climate of the Orlando region — highlighting the continued growth over the past year and the challenges facing the area. “Our company’s vision is to highlight business opportunities in Orlando and the Central Florida region, as well as the challenges that lie ahead. Businesses continue to arrive and solidify in the area, and our research suggests that business sentiment remains upbeat,” said Lindenberg.
After the opening keynote from Florida Blue Central FL Market President Tony Jenkins, the opening panel, “How Florida’s leaders are harnessing technology to propel growth, and the challenges associated with staying ahead of the curve,” covered ways technology is impacting operations from aviation to healthcare and everything in between. Moderated by Jarrod Dillon, president of business operations at Orlando City Soccer Club/Orlando Pride/INTER&CO Stadium, Stephen Fussell, vice president and chief strategy officer at Orlando Sanford Airport and Andrew Molosky, president and CEO of Chapters Health System.
Fussell shared ways in which the Orlando Sanford Airport is implementing technology in order to improve passenger experience at the airport terminals and streamlining operations. Meanwhile, Molosky expressed how leveraging technological advancements, such as data analytics and advanced intelligence could be used to supplement the artistry of medicine and enhance the overall healthcare experience for patients and clients alike. Chapters Health System is using AI-driven machine learning algorithms to decrease ER visits, reduce unnecessary hospitalizations and increase net savings.
The second panel, “Crafting communities: The blueprint for Orlando’s next generation of sustainable living and considerations for complex projects to be successful in 2024 and beyond,” defined what sustainable living looks like in Central Florida, and shared examples of creating new towns and the amenities people are searching for. Moderated by Brock Shrader, president of Wilson & Girgenti, the panel included Beat Kahli, president and CEO of Avalon Park Group, Matt Charlan, principal and director of business development at CBA Architects, and Robert Thorne, CEO and Founder of Urban Network Capital Group.
The panelists focused the discussion on the enduring value of building sustainable towns, providing resilient and sustainable community development and the use of sustainable materials in fast-changing urban environments.
To close out the event, the third and final panel, titled “Knowledge economy: Strategies for aligning education with Central Florida’s traditional and emerging economic needs, and the hurdles to overcome,” covered the latest initiatives connecting the education sector with industry needs. The discussion, moderated by Rollins College Vice President of Athletics, Communications & External Relations Sam Stark, featured perspectives from John Kiss, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost at Florida Institute of Technology, Dave Buckles, president of Foundation Academy, Laura Byrd, Interim President at Lake-Sumter State College, and James Michael Burkett, president of NUC University Florida Technical College (NUC FTC).
The panel covered how education is evolving because of recent global and technological changes, the balance between integrating new technologies with traditional education systems, preparing students for the post-school and post-college future, as well as creating well-trained and prepared professionals that can satisfy the needs of the current labor market.
In wrapping up the panel, Stark asked each of the panelists from a scale of one to 10 how much they are working to integrate AI into their institutions. Across the board, there was a great appetite with educators listing interest in AI anywhere from a seven to 10 (and above).
To access the latest edition of Invest: Greater Orlando 2023-2024 and all market reports by Capital Analytics, click here.
About Capital Analytics & Invest: Greater Orlando 2023-2024
Capital Analytics is an integrated media platform that produces in-depth business intelligence through its annual print and digital economic reviews, high-impact conferences and events and top-level interviews via its video platform, Invest:Insights.
Invest: Greater Orlando 2023-2024 is an in-depth economic review of the key issues facing the economy in the area, featuring the exclusive insights of prominent regional leaders. Invest: Greater Orlando 2023-2024 is produced with two goals in mind: 1) to provide comprehensive investment knowledge on the Greater Orlando region for local, national, and international investors, and 2) to promote the region as a place to invest and do business.
The report conducts a deep dive into the top economic sectors in the region, including real estate, construction, infrastructure, banking and finance, legal, healthcare, education, and tourism. The publication is compiled from insights collected from more than 200 economic leaders, sector insiders, political leaders, and heads of important institutions. It analyzes the leading challenges facing the market and uncovers emerging opportunities for investors, entrepreneurs, and innovators.
For more information, contact:
Ryan Gandolfo
Senior Editor
(305) 938 0293
