County Commissioners, elected officials, and Florida Commerce Secretary J. Alex Kelly gathered recently at NeoCity to mark the groundbreaking of Osceola County’s latest high-tech addition. Osceola Board of County Commissioners Chairman Brandon Arrington was joined by County Manager Don Fisher and Secretary Kelly for the ceremonial kickoff, where they also unveiled new renderings showcasing the future of research and industry at the site.
Made possible by a $17.5M grant from the State of Florida through Florida Commerce’s Florida Job Growth Grant fund, the project features a $22M, 30,000 square foot multi-use lab complete with wet, dry, and cryogenic lab space. The lab provides for the expansion of existing tenant space and research, as well as enticing new industry to join the NeoCity ecosystem, continuing the momentum already being realized in the advanced manufacturing and semiconductor sectors onsite.
“This 30,000-square-foot, multi-use lab is more than just a building. It’s a strategic investment in the kind of economy we are working to create. With dry labs, wet labs, and specialized cryogenic capabilities, this facility is designed to meet the needs of a rapidly evolving industry and remove barriers to growth for the companies we want to attract and retain,” said Commissioner Brandon Arrington, District 3 County Commissioner and Chairman of the Board. “We’ve also been intentional in the design of this facility. The architecture reflects the very industry it supports, drawing inspiration from the layering and iridescent makeup of microchip wafers. It’s a visual representation of innovation, where science, design, and purpose come together to signal exactly what NeoCity stands for.”
“Florida has, for a long time, had a significant presence for small, medium sized chip producers, advanced packagers, photonics companies, to where we have the third or fourth largest number of semiconductor related establishments in the country. The reality is that until recently, no one knew that” said Florida Commerce Secretary J. Alex Kelly. “It was a big, bold brave dream, a patient dream, that was put in here at NeoCity that really created that bright light. When we traveled to places like Taiwan, Japan, Korea, they know of NeoCity and they send delegations here, they visit and partner here. NeoCity is a name and known presence and has really, for an industry that had a foothold here, did not have that bright light that attracted not just the country’s attention but the world’s attention.”
Launched in 2014, NeoCity was born from a vision to diversify the local economy beyond tourism and agriculture by attracting high-tech industries and research institutions. NeoCity provides access to major universities and is adjacent to America’s one-of-a-kind Spaceport/Seaport/Airport/Rail hub where it is poised to serve as a catalyst for high-tech innovation and creation, including jobs and capital investment.
Significant milestones in its development of NeoCity have included the opening of the Center for Neovation which is home to SkyWater Florida and imec as well as the opening of public high school, NeoCity Academy, which is ranked first in Central Florida, second in the state, and 34th in the nation. Additional onsite partners include the University of Florida’s Florida Semiconductor Institute, the NSF’s Florida Semiconductor Engine, and myriad other key partnerships, enhancing NeoCity’s reputation as a global technology player.
Photo: (L-R) Osceola County Manager Don Fisher, Osceola County D5 Commissioner Ricky Booth, Osceola County D2 Commissioner Viviana Janer, Secretary of Florida Commerce J. Alex Kelly, Osceola County Chairman and D3 Commissioner Brandon Arrington, Osceola County Vice Chairwoman and D4 Commissioner Cheryl Grieb, Osceola County D1 Commissioner Peggy Choudhry