Soccer goes virtual; startups meet firms

Orlando City Soccer Club has gone virtual.

Officials with the organization announced Wednesday the launch of a 3-D platform to give fans a sneak peek at its planned soccer stadium, which is set to open in 2017.

The Orlando City Downtown Soccer Stadium will host the Orlando City club as well the Orlando Pride women’s soccer team.

Already, though, fans can get a sense of the view from any of the 25,500 seats in the stadium, along with private suites.

A live-stream camera view of the construction site also debuted this week.

“The functionality (of the virtual stadium) is very simple and provides a fantastic view of what’s to come in Parramore,” stadium general manager Scott Neal said in a release.

The Virtual Venue-powered tech is available at the team’s website and is viewable on mobile devices.

The Orlando City Soccer Club made its MLS debut in 2015 to much fanfare — and remained in the playoff hunt until late in the season.

The team finished with 12 wins, 14 losses and eight ties.

Startups meet larger firms

Orlando’s startup community rubbed elbows with some of the larger companies in the region at Thursday’s Florida Tech Match event in an effort to drum up some homegrown business.

Area tech leaders say the goal is for more companies to stick around when they grow, knowing they can sell their products here.

“It’s not often you get these emerging tech companies sitting down with these established firms,” Orlando Tech Association President Orrett Davis said. “They have probably sent cold emails and gotten nothing back. Now here they are pitching their hearts out.”

The event drew more than 80startups that met with companies such as NASA, University of Central Florida, NBCUniversal and Orlando Health.

Omar Gonzalez of Orlando Health said the event carries long-term benefits, regardless of whether it results in deals.

“It’s a symbiotic relationship,” he said. “Large companies can benefit from the home-grown talent, which in turn will grow the area. Also, the more successful a startup, the more talent will be attracted to this area.”

Local entrepreneur Carlos Carbonell, who spearheaded Florida Tech Match, said startups have to feel comfortable that ongoing business will be available in the area.

Otherwise, they will leave and take their employees.

“Some startups are at the point where they know if they don’t find a customer base here, they will leave to bigger markets,” he said. “We have to show them that the customers are here and they can stay. It could be that missing component we don’t have here.”

After a sit-down visit with NBCUniversal about the tracking device he built, Felix Mercado felt optimistic about the event. The device could be adapted to theme parks so families can keep a virtual eye on one another.

“It’s great to meet with them and introduce them to your product,” he said. “It helps get the word out. Otherwise, how long would it take you to go throught the red tape and find those people?”