Consumers want wireless communication with physicians

A new study by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) reveals that consumers are interested in communicating with their doctors via wireless devices. The study, The New Role of Technology in Consumer Health and Wellness, examines consumer perceptions and attitudes in using technology products to maintain their health and wellness. According to the study, 36 percent of consumers say they would be interested in sending health data to their doctor via a wireless device; 33 percent are interested in managing their health records online; and 32 percent would be willing to consult with their doctor via online video, according to this report in TechJournal South.

Odds 'n' Ends

SoftServe, a leading global provider of proven high quality software development, testing and consulting services, held their 4th annual Innovations Conference at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center. SoftServe is a leading global provider of proven high quality software development, testing and consulting services. ...John Shegerian, Chairman and CEO of Electronic Recyclers International, the nation's leading recycler of electronic waste, was among the panelists of a group discussion on the state of the electronics recycling industry at the 2011 E-Scrap Conference held at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate. The E-Scrap Conference is the premier electronic waste recycling conference of North America and hosts industry leaders from around the world who network and discuss trends and challenges facing the electronic waste recycling industry today. ...Hospital Corporation of America has purchased 45 acres near the Solivita community in Poinciana with plans to build a 60-bed hospital with an emergency-medical facility and a medical-office building, the Orlando Sentinel reported. ...TNP Strategic Retail Trust Inc., a publicly registered non-traded REIT announced the acquisition of Osceola Village, a 116,645-square-foot retail center in Kissimmee. The retail center was purchased directly from the construction lender. "Rarely does this type of opportunity present itself to purchase the dominant grocery anchor in a growth market like Orlando," said Thompson National Properties' CEO, Anthony W. "Tony" Thompson. Constructed in 2008, Osceola Village is 77 percent occupied and anchored by Publix with a lease expiration in 2028 and hhgregg with a lease expiration in 2018. The property is located at the intersection of Osceola Parkway and Dyer Boulevard. ...

ESPN Wide World of Sports honored

Walt Disney World’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex earned the title of “Business of the Year” at the inaugural Central Florida SPORTYS Awards. The SPORTYS Awards honors both amateur and professional local athletes, coaches, employees and businesses from throughout Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia Counties.

St. Cloud company presents at VC forum

   True-Safe Technologies Inc.of St. Cloud was one of 17 Florida companies chosen by the Florida Venture Forum to present at the 2011 Early State Venture Capital Conference at the Reunion Resort last month.

   The companies, selected as the best early-stage prospects for equity financing, each gave a 10-minute presentation to the audience of the conference which includes venture capitalists, private equity investors, angel investors, investment bankers, financial intermediaries and entrepreneurs.

   True-Safe Technologies Inc. is a leader in Arc Fault Detection and Interruption (AFCI) Systems in low voltage residential, commercial and industrial applications.

   The company continues to seek investors and is also in discussions for a strategic partnership with a manufacturer in the industry.

Local plumbing company honored

    Rodolfo Ortiz, president of Rodolfo Ortiz Plumbing, was recently received a Rising Star Award from the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority. The award  recognizes the company for "commitment and dedication to the Authority and for your continued success as a Small Developing Business. Rodolfo Oriz Plumbing Inc. has consistently maintained a high level of service to the Authority."

     Ortiz attended the "Making Media Connections at the UCF Incubator in St. Cloud that was hosted by Commissioner Fred Hawkins Jr. and Economic Development Administrator Maria Toumazos.

Enterprise Florida grant to boost export activity

Enterprise Florida has been awarded a State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) grant for $780,786 by the U.S. Small Business Administration to help boost export activity during the next year. Enterprise Florida’s grant is one of many totaling $30 million that the SBA has presented to states, territories and Washington, D.C. as a result of the 2010 Small Business Jobs Act’s State Trade and Export Promotion Program.

“I am on board with the President’s vision that U.S. companies and workers can double U.S. goods and services exports during the next five years, which would help support good, high paying jobs in manufacturing, services, and in agriculture,”  says the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Regional Administrator Cassius Butts.  “We are happy to be working with partners, such as Enterprise Florida and other partners across the United States to increase both the number of exporters and the number of countries they ship to.  The Step Grant exemplifies the dedication that Florida has to spurring economic growth and assisting entrepreneurs to thrive from the international market.”

      In using its grant toward that purpose, Enterprise Florida has goals that include helping the state’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) diversify their target markets, and prompting infrequent and single-market exporters to expand their overseas trade activity. 

      “Furthermore, we will work to engage new SMEs, particularly manufacturers, in exporting,” emphasizes Manny Mencía, senior vice president of Enterprise Florida’s international trade division.  “The grant will enable more SMEs to take advantage of overseas tradeshows and missions because we will be able to provide them with funding to offset their costs.”

Cenek makes soft landing at Kissimmee Incubator

   Cenek, a learning content management system firm headquartered in Medellin, Colombia is the first company to join the University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program’s Soft Landing program.

   Pim Van den Bergh, sales manager for Cenek, said the firm specializes in simplifying the training process of large groups of employees geographically dispersed by using its cloud based platform, Cenek 3.0. With a proven record of almost half a million completed courses in Colombia alone, Cenek hopes to repeat this success in the U.S.

   Rafael Caamano, site manager for the UCF Business Incubation Program in Kissimmee, said Cenek plans to take advantage of the resources in order to understand the Florida and U.S. market from a new base at UCF’s Business Incubator in Kissimmee.

   Juan Herrera, chief executive officer for Cenek said he is looking forward to embracing this opportunity that can lead to jobs in both Kissimmee and in Medellin.

About the UCF BIP 

    Since its founding in 1999, the UCF Business Incubation Program has helped more than 200 emerging companies (including more than 100 current clients) create over $200 million in annual total economic output  and more than 1,600 new jobs with an average salary of $59,000. With nine facilities across the Greater Orlando community, the Business Incubation Program is a collaboration in economic development between the University of Central Florida, Orange County, the City of Orlando, Seminole County, the City of Winter Springs, The City of Sanford, Lake County, the City of Leesburg, Osceola County, the City of Kissimmee, City of St. Cloud, Volusia County and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council.  Please visit www.incubator.ucf.edu and UCFBIP on Facebook.

Same phone numbers and e-mails but we have a new address!

Nicholson Center Grand Opening

    The Nicholson Center held its grand opening Oct. 6.The center, which is expected to train 20,000 surgeons a year in minimally invasive techniques, is a brand new 54,000-square-foot, two-story, $54 million facility at the Florida Hospital Celebration Health campus. The hospital plans to hire 75 permanent jobs with the new center, which is projected to have a more than $13 million annual economic impact.

       The facility has six da Vinci robots, at $1.8 million a pop, 40 endoscopic surgical stations, a medical simulation center, and an innovation and technolgy accelerator. The Department of Defense awarded the Nicholson Center a $4.2 million grant to study ways telemedicine technology can be used in surgery. What’s more, the hospital is open to companies looking to partner, especially those already working in military simulation that want to translate their work into the medical field. 

 Center Features

• 500-seat conference center with high definition, multi-campus site videoconferencing and global communication capabilities.
• 6 da Vinci robotic stations in a dedicated robotics lab with bidirectional connectivity to other learning and education spaces.
• A simulation and robotics training center that offers computer-based simulations, medical virtual reality trainers, surgical simulators and multiple robotic technologies.
• An innovation and technology accelerator that focuses on new business initiatives with physicians, global medical companies, medical associations and the military.
• A dedicated dry simulation and robotics lab that can be subdivided into three suites, each offering full AV integration.
• Two 935 square foot, fully equipped team training operating room with bidirectional AV integration.
• Conference rooms, collaboration suites and board rooms accommodating teams from 4 to 25.