Synapse Innovation Podcast

Join us on the Synapse Podcast as we dive into the fascinating journey of Jordan Walker and Hunter McKinley, the innovative minds behind Yac and Backtrack! In this episode, we explore how these entrepreneurs revolutionized communication and connectivity in the workplace and beyond. From the inception of Yac, designed to foster more personal interactions among teams, to the impromptu creation of Backtrack after a Yac pitch meeting, Jordan and Hunter share their insights into finding innovation in areas ripe for improvement.

Discover how Yac's platform transcends geographical barriers, enabling hybrid and remote teams to forge deeper connections through voice communication, while Backtrack provides a unique solution for revisiting and capturing essential moments in conversations and meetings. Plus, hear how people are using this technology outside of work in their personal lives, including a father recording his daughter's first words.

Throughout the episode, Jordan and Hunter reflect on their entrepreneurial journey and discuss the pivotal role of Florida's vibrant startup ecosystem, with shoutouts to organizations like PS27 Ventures in Jacksonville, StarterStudio in Orlando, and Florida Funders in Tampa. From securing $10 million in funding to navigating the challenges of timing and preparation on the path to success, their story exemplifies the power of perseverance and innovation in driving meaningful change. Don't miss this captivating conversation with the masterminds behind Yac and Backtrack! #InnovationLivesHere

Welcome to Episode 21 of the Synapse Podcast! In this episode, we welcome Dr. Randy K. Avent, President of Florida Polytechnic University, as our guest. Join us as we delve into the fascinating journey of building a dedicated engineering and STEM university in Florida and its significance in Florida's innovation community. Dr. Avent shares invaluable insights on fostering an engineering culture centered around problem-solving, encapsulated in the mantra of "Think and do." We explore the importance of faculty staying at the forefront of their fields and the unique benefits and challenges of being a young university. Plus, Dr. Avent shares his thoughts on how academia can serve as a springboard for innovation in the business world and why Lakeland is the perfect backdrop for this kind of collaboration. Don't miss this insightful episode! #InnovationLivesHere

Episode 20 of the Synapse Podcast unlocks the doors to the future of healthcare with special guests Rob Purinton and Dr. Victor Herrera from AdventHealth!
Dive into the intriguing discussion on the immense potential of artificial intelligence in healthcare. Discover how AI can bridge gaps in the care process, transforming repetitive tasks like data entry into seamless, time-saving solutions. Explore the ground-breaking concept of Ambient AI, which can transcribe conversations between physicians and patients to provide intelligent documentation for approval. By streamlining this type of work, AI grants healthcare professionals more time with more patients, addressing the challenge of rising population growth.
Then, we learn about AdventHealth's AI Advisory Board, which ensures the technology is used ethically to build trust among patients and caregivers. Plus, hear how AdventHealth is maximizing the potential of local talent. Tune in now! #InnovationLivesHere

Tune into the Synapse Podcast for a captivating episode featuring Orlando Health and ArthurApp, where innovation meets healthcare evolution.

Orlando Health's VP of Strategic Innovations, Michael Schmidt, details how they foster breakthrough innovations within a 105-year-old healthcare organization. With the Orlando Health Strategic Innovations division, they bridge the gap between healthcare startups and providers, empowering their network to drive meaningful innovations for patient care. Discover how this culture of innovation yields more than 60 product ideas per year from team members and how they decide which solutions to implement in practice within the Orlando Health system before offering them to other healthcare providers.

Then, Orlando Health's Brand Manager, Jennifer T. Foley, unveils the remarkable story behind her idea for ArthurApp — a game-changing solution born from personal experience. She details a heartfelt story of her father's struggle post-surgery, sparking the creation of an app that enables non-verbal patients to communicate effectively with their care providers. ArthurApp is just the first innovation to graduate from the Orlando Health Strategic Innovations division, which attracted CEO Patrick de la Roza to join the new startup born out of the hospital's innovative team.

Listen in as these visionary minds redefine patient care through innovation, showcasing how they use creativity and empathy to empower their community to revolutionize healthcare! #InnovationLivesHere

Join us on the Synapse Podcast for a captivating episode featuring Brian Serra from Cole Engineering Services, Inc. (CESI)! In this conversation, Brian details how CESI is working with the U.S. Department of Defense to "build the Army's metaverse" right in Orlando, Florida using simulation training, enabling branches of the U.S. Military to conduct remote team mission exercises in safer, better-controlled, virtual environments.

Eliot Danner joined Lauren for a conversation about generative AI during MetaCenter Global Week and Synapse Orlando in October! Check out this interview to get Google Cloud's Managing Director of Customer Engineering's perspective on how Generative AI is shaping all kinds of business. Eliot also discusses how any organization can make new technology work for them and what he is doing in his own industry to emulate his examples! #InnovationLivesHere

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John Wensveen joins us on this new episode of the Synapse Podcast!

John is the Chief Innovation Officer at Nova Southeastern University and serves as the Executive Director of the Alan B. Levan | NSU Broward Center of Innovation.

Check out this conversation to hear John's innovation story, learn what an innovation center actually is, and how the Levan Center is bolstering South Florida's key industries by creating "the world's first theme park for entrepreneurs" right in Fort Lauderdale! #InnovationLivesHere

On this episode of the Synapse Podcast, we're joined by Shawn Best of Bay Area Innovations! Get to know Shawn, hear his innovation journey, and how the Bay Area Innovations team helps bring people's ideas to life through product design and development! #InnovationLivesHere

Secretary of Commerce Laura DiBella joins the Synapse Podcast to discuss how her fascinating journey led to a unique, well-rounded knowledge perfect for her position, the impact Enterprise Florida is having on the Sunshine State, and why Synapse Summit is a can't-miss event! #InnovationLivesHere

For this episode, we’re taking it back to an awesome conversation about branding and marketing between Dr. Rebecca White and Ian Barkin! Your message, your voice and your image are what ultimately will sell your new business. What are the most impactful marketing tools for startups, how do you determine your ROI based on data and analytics, and how do you find a marketing partner to bring your vision to the world? Listen to find out! #InnovationLivesHere

This unique interview recorded live at Synapse Orlando last month features Kyle Morrand of 302 Interactive and Dave Vanz discussing how game designers and developers are changing our perception of the world around us. I promise whether you are a gamer or not you will absolutely find this episode fascinating and compelling. #InnovationLivesHere

Is entrepreneurship right for you? It's a question that everybody should ask themselves - whether you've started multiple companies already or are considering starting your first one. Experienced entrepreneurs and professors John Breed and Mark McNees share with us how that question should be weighed as well as the ups and downs of the journey. #InnovationLivesHere

Today Danielle Mousseau, Manager of Economic Development at Florida Power & Light and 35 Mules, joins Lauren Prager and Wes Lehman in the studio to talk about the unique impact 35 Mules is having on the innovation community in Florida. FPL has literally powered the state of Florida for the last 100 years and now Danielle and her team are bringing that power to the innovation and startup community through 35 Mules. 35 Mules provides early-stage startups with financial and marketing mentors, advanced technology solutions, business services, and world-class facilities with access to Fortune 200 corporate and technology leaders. #InnovationLivesHere

What is Synapse? How did it all come about and where is it going? Come along the journey with us as we talk about this and more behind the scenes of the Synapse story. Featuring: Brian Kornfeld, Basha Ferdinand, Lauren Prager, & Wes Lehman

The Synapse Podcast is a show that focuses on highlighting innovators, learning what makes them who they are, and guiding you on the next step in your innovation journey. Here you can expect to experience long-form conversations, in-depth interviews, as well as both personal and business development content. This isn’t the final destination of your journey, but it is the next step. Welcome to the Synapse Podcast. #InnovationLivesHere

The Synapse Podcast is a show that focuses on highlighting innovators, learning what makes them who they are, and guiding you on the next step in your innovation journey. Here you can expect to experience long-form conversations, in-depth interviews, as well as both personal and business development content. This isn’t the final destination of your journey, but it is the next step. Welcome to the Synapse Podcast. #InnovationLivesHere