When you think about the rise of Orlando’s tech scene, you can’t tell that story without mentioning the people who showed up early, organized the first meetups in coffee shops, and refused to let “Silicon Valley or bust” be the only path into tech.
That’s exactly the story behind our newest Impact Spotlight: a conversation with Orrett Davis, Executive Director of the Orlando Tech Association and a founding member of the Orlando Tech Meetups, one of the driving forces behind Central Florida’s growing reputation as a serious tech hub.
Building Orlando’s Tech Ecosystem From the Ground Up
Long before “Orlando tech” was a hashtag, a small group of developers, founders, and career-changers started meeting up to share what they were learning. What began as informal meetups grew into a full ecosystem of workforce development programs, startup support, and access to training that didn’t require a four-year degree.
“There’s a lot of overall tech organizations here that are like startup focused, they’re a specific technology focused, but none of them focus on a specific community.”
Workforce Development That Actually Works
For many in the Orlando tech community, breaking into the industry isn’t about talent, but about access. Access to training, to mentors, to a network that believes you belong in the room.
“Representation is incredibly important. If you’re interested in tech, sometimes you kind of feel alone if people don’t necessarily look like you.”
Why Local Tech Leadership Matters
Cities don’t become tech hubs by accident. They become tech hubs because people decide to stay, build, and invest in their own community instead of exporting their talent elsewhere.
“One of the most impactful things I’ve seen from BOT is the skill development, the workshop bringing in the broader business and tech community and creating that cross section.”
That’s the throughline of our 10-year anniversary series: real people, in real neighborhoods across Central Florida, choosing to build something bigger than themselves.
“One of the things I’m a super big fan of is serendipitous moments where you have people randomly meet and connect and great things spawn from that. I think BOT has been a facilitator for that, for the local tech community here.”
Watch the Full Conversation
Watch the full conversation with Orrett and his perspective on BOT and the Orlando Tech ecosystem.
🎥 Watch the full interview on our YouTube channel to hear the complete story.