For ten years, Building Our Tech (BOT) has helped people across Greater Orlando and Central Florida learn, build and scale with technology. To mark our 10-year anniversary, we’re sharing one community story every week. This week, we sat down with the person steering BOT toward year 20: our Executive Director, Safia Porter.
Safia talked with us about why tech education is economic development, what she’s seen change in people’s lives, and where BOT is headed next. Her answers are below, lightly edited for clarity.
At a glance: What is Building Our Tech? Building Our Tech (BOT) is an Orlando tech nonprofit that drives economic development through technology education. BOT runs workforce training cohorts, an accelerator and incubator for startup founders, and free and low-cost monthly community workshops. Its goal is to make sure people in Central Florida are prepared for a changing tech world, whether that means landing a job, growing a business or simply understanding the technology in their homes.
What problem does Building Our Tech solve?
Q: Safia, what problem does BOT exist to solve?
Safia Porter: We’re looking to improve economic development for people here in the Greater Central Florida communities, individuals and families alike.
Q: Why does that matter so much?
Safia: Economic development is what fuels the economy across the board; not just at a city or county level, but nationwide. The way we do that is with tech education.
Our world is changing, and we’re moving at a very fast pace generationally. Technology is always going to be at the forefront of that. So we want to make sure the community is prepared, whether that’s with jobs, with businesses, or just from an advocacy and knowledge standpoint.
What makes BOT’s approach to tech education different?
Q: What makes BOT’s approach different?
Safia: Number one is our community. We’re very open about being community-first and making sure people feel welcome and safe when they’re in our space.
We don’t want anyone to feel like technology is overcomplicated, whether they’re brand new or have been around it for years. We want everyone to understand what’s happening, and to know they have allies in their back pocket to reach out to. And they have friends around them who want to learn just as much as they do.
“We just want to make sure that everyone feels welcome, everyone understands what’s happening, and that they have allies in their back pocket.”
What impact has BOT had on the community?
Q: What kind of transformation have you seen in BOT participants?
Safia: Over the years, I’ve seen so many things. On the economic side, I’ve seen people get their first job in tech. I’ve seen our founders get their first check for their business, or land their first customer.
On the community side, people are making new friends and building businesses together. They help each other with their careers and their personal tech projects. I run into people who’ve been part of BOT at some point in the last ten years, and they’ll say, “I know about BOT. I was able to do X, Y and Z. Now I know so-and-so, and it helped me do this.” It’s been very fruitful to see how transformative BOT has been for people.
Workforce development: tech training and certification in Orlando
Q: What does that look like in practice?
Safia: Over the last few years, we’ve been very intentional about building strong technology cohorts. People who’ve gone through them have been able to get certified. We’ve offered training in:
- Machine learning
- Python
- Cloud computing
- Salesforce and other software platforms
- Tech sales
For the past three years now, we have run critical career readiness workshops during the summer, which is crucial. It helps people understand the technology that’s reading their resume, how to build a resume for success, and how to interview, especially on the technical side.
Even graduates from before I became executive director tell me, “I’ve been able to get certified. I’ve moved my income from paycheck to paycheck, or borderline homelessness, to being more comfortable.” They’ve been placed in technology positions and built networks that helped with job placement. We’ve done a lot of survey work in the last twelve months to back up these results.
“I’ve been able to move my income from being paycheck to paycheck or borderline homelessness to being more comfortable.”
Startup and founder support: BOT’s accelerator and incubator
Safia: On the startup side, we launched our accelerator program, which has been running for about two to three years, with roughly seven to ten founders per cohort. Our incubator is in its first pilot year, and it’s open door. People come in to find out whether their idea is worth the effort, or whether it’s ready to go to the next level.
We host founder dinners, founder showcases and pitch competitions. With help from our community partners, we’ve been able to give out more prize money. That has helped founders hire, improve their software, market their products, and even handle legal needs so they’re set up for success.
Free and low-cost tech workshops in Orlando
Safia: We also have free and low-cost hands-on workshops every month. They give people exposure to the tech skills we offer, a look inside our cohorts, and insight into roles that might not be technical at all. They inspire people to want to improve and go to the next level in their lives.
What’s next for Building Our Tech? The road to year 20
Q: After ten years of impact, what’s the long-term vision for BOT?
Safia: To keep doing what we’re doing: community first, technology education second, and being as supportive as possible for everyone.
As we work toward year 20, we want to stay ahead of the curve on tech education and on what the workforce needs. For founders, that means understanding how to build businesses that stay ahead of the curve too.
The other crucial piece is advocacy. Our community has a lot of tech concerns. When there’s news or policy that’s hard to understand at a community level, we want to explain it clearly to residents. Data centers are on the rise in communities. People have questions about AI and job security. AI and technology are more present in your home than you might realize. Those education pieces are a primary focus for the next ten years.
Q: What kind of future is BOT working to help create?
Safia: On the workforce side, a future where people are certified and trained across different technology skill sets. We want more strategic partnerships with employers in Orlando and beyond Florida, so the education we provide sets people up for success.
For startup founders, we want them fully prepared, understanding how investment may be changing and what consumers are looking for in new ideas. And for the wider community, we want people prepared to understand how the world is changing and how they can adapt.
Q: Beyond jobs and income, what does that future do for people personally?
Safia: It makes people feel well educated about what’s going on around them. It’s not, “Oh, I didn’t know I could make a phone call with my washer now.” That’s a real thing. And it’s understanding how that data is being used.
People will be able to talk about it with confidence and they’ll be prepared.
“I feel like people will feel more well educated. They can talk more about it… they’ll just be prepared.”
How to get involved with BOT in Orlando
Safia’s message is simple: you don’t need to be a tech expert to belong here. Whether you’re curious, career-changing or building a company, there’s a place for you at BOT.
- Attend a monthly workshop. Meet the community, explore tech skills and get a feel for our programs.
- Join a workforce cohort. Build in-demand skills and work toward certification and a tech career.
- Bring your startup idea. Test it in our open-door incubator or apply to our accelerator.
- Volunteer or mentor. Be one of the allies Safia talks about by sharing your skills with learners and founders.
- Network with us. Follow BOT and connect with the Central Florida tech community.
Partner with BOT: sponsor the next ten years of Orlando tech
BOT’s growth has always been powered by community partners. Their support has expanded our pitch competition prizes and helped founders hire, build and launch. As Safia shared, the next decade will bring deeper employer partnerships and more community tech education, and sponsors make that possible.
When you sponsor BOT, you help:
- Train and certify Central Florida’s tech workforce, building a talent pipeline for employers
- Fund pitch competition prizes that help local startups reach their next milestone
- Keep monthly community events free and low-cost, and open to everyone
- Expand public education on AI, data privacy and emerging tech
Employers can also partner with us to shape training around real workforce needs. Ready to invest in Orlando’s tech future? Contact us about sponsorship.
Frequently asked questions about Building Our Tech
What is Building Our Tech (BOT)? Building Our Tech is a nonprofit in Orlando, Florida, that drives economic development through technology education. It serves individuals, families and startup founders across Greater Orlando and Central Florida.
Who is the executive director of Building Our Tech? Safia Porter is the executive director of Building Our Tech. She leads BOT’s workforce cohorts, startup programs and community advocacy as the organization marks its 10-year anniversary.
What tech training does BOT offer? BOT has run cohorts in machine learning, Python, cloud computing, Salesforce, and tech sales training. BOT also offers summer career readiness covering resumes, applicant tracking systems and technical interviews.
Does BOT support startups in Orlando? Yes. BOT runs an accelerator with about seven to ten founders per cohort and an open-door incubator in its pilot year. It also hosts founder dinners, showcases and pitch competitions with prize money.
Are BOT events free? Yes. BOT has free and low-cost events.
Do I need tech experience to join BOT? No. BOT is built to be welcoming and easy to understand, whether you’re new to technology or have years of experience.
How can my company sponsor BOT? Companies can sponsor events, pitch competition prizes and training, or partner on workforce programs. Contact BOT about sponsorship.