Six technology companies in Metro Orlando were honored by the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission (EDC) with the 2007 William C. Schwartz Industry Innovation Award on September 19, 2007.
The annual award program recognizes innovative companies who have had a significant impact on the region and in their respective fields for innovative practices, products and/or ideas.
The program is named in honor of the late William C. Schwartz, an avid community leader, business pioneer and innovator within the field of optics and photonics.
“Cultivating innovative thinking helps drive the economy and is critical to the long term economic growth of the region,” said Ray Gilley, president and CEO of the EDC. “We are proud to remember William C. Schwartz and his great spirit though this awards program.”
Recipients come from each of the four counties served by the EDC – Orange, Seminole, Lake and Osceola counties – and from the City of Orlando. This year, a new award called the Florida High Tech Corridor Council’s Award for Innovation, was also introduced. The winners include:
•Bright House Networks (City of Orlando) new digital phone is revolutionizing phone service and helping customers save money. Bright House Networks has increased customer satisfaction while saving customers an average of more than $60 per month. This revolutionary approach, which provides unlimited calling and multiple lines, along with a host of other services, has attracted more than 427,000 customers across the company’s six operating divisions.
And, according to J.D. Power & Associates, ranked highest in the Southeast region for customer satisfaction for the past two years
•INX Environmental Technology (Lake County) is a leader in the growing “clean tech” industry, which encompasses alternative energy, environmental systems, green construction, and much more. INX has developed a system to “digest” chemicals, greases and oils from the air. Their system is now being used by restaurants, hotels and theme parks to help turn their grease into usable fuel and improve the overall air quality for customers and employees.
•VaxDesign Corporation (Orange County) is a biotechnology company that is “challenging disease differently.” They have developed the first real alternative to animal testing for biomedical research. Over the last four years, VaxDesign has developed and commercialized what they call the “Modular Immune In-Vitro Construct.” In other words, they use human cells, obtained from blood donors, to create “a clinical trial in a test tube.” This system replicates conditions within the human body – within a safe, non-invasive environment and provides a reliable and repeatable method for testing vaccines and other immune-related drugs rapidly and inexpensively – and without requiring human or animal test subjects.
•Overture Development Group (Osceola County) is a developer of environmentally sustainable buildings. Most notably, Overture is the developer of The Conservatory at Celebration Place, which is anticipated to become the first LEED-certified Platinum-rated building in Florida and the first LEED-certified Platinum building in the world available for private ownership. The goal for the Conservatory is to create the finest possible example of a sustainable building, utilizing unique technologies and compelling architecture to highlight Metro Orlando as an area of innovation and green building leadership.
•F4W, Inc. (Seminole County) has developed a proprietary system that they call the “FatNode™ Wireless Router” that the company developed after discovering the inadequacies of available wireless routers in the wake of Hurricanes Charley, Katrina, Rita and Wilma. Their “FatNode” Router was installed in the City of Sanford, where it now provides Wi-Fi service throughout the City’s downtown area – making this the first city in Seminole County to fully implement municipal Wi-Fi. The trademarked system was also deployed by the Orlando Police Department to provide video surveillance at key points during the Fourth of July event held at Lake Eola.
•OptiGrate (FHTCC Award) designs and manufactures a variety of optical gratings and devices for specialized commercial and defense applications. They have developed a method for embedding microscopic holograms into optic glass that can direct light to perform a vast number of functions – which holds promise for the military, semi-conductor, automotive and shipping industries, as well as applications ranging from medical imaging to high resolution big screen TVs.
On the Web: www.orlandoedc.com
Southeast Venture Conference, February 29 – March 1, 2012 at the Ritz Carlton in Tysons Corner, VA – Where Smart Money Meets Smart People.
www.seventure.org
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