Fueling Innovation in Greater Daytona

Nathan Lambrecht

As a hub for tourism, motorsports and technology-driven industries, the Greater Daytona region thrives on the innovation and creativity of entrepreneurs. The presence of small businesses and startups not only contributes to economic diversification throughout the region, but it also fosters job creation and drives competition, resulting in a more resilient and dynamic marketplace. 

At the heart of the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem are universities and colleges in Daytona Beach and Volusia County, including Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and the University of Central Florida, that support startups and small businesses through a robust menu of programs and services. 

Launchpad to the Stars 

A prime example of that support is the John Mica Engineering and Aerospace Innovation Complex (MicaPlex) at the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Research Park, a cutting-edge research and innovation hub located in the heart of the university’s Daytona campus.

Designed to foster collaboration, the MicaPlex houses state-of-the-art facilities, where students, faculty and industry professionals work together to tackle challenges in aviation, space exploration and related fields. 

Two such students, Alex Gardner and Nyameaama Gambrah, juniors majoring in aerospace engineering, launched their company Limitless Aeronautics through the MicaPlex. The company designs and develops micro swarm technologies – or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) that can work and fly together all in a network – to be used for first responders and the military – “where saving time is very critical for saving lives,” as Gardner says. 

“The technology we’re developing is designed to give users on the front line, whether that’s in the military or search and rescue, the ability to launch a series of drones and be able to man them all in a single integrated platform,” he says. “We’re trying to bring the future of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and the future of drone technologies into the hands of today.” 

Powerful Connections 

Gardner says the MicaPlex is an extension of the university’s culture of innovation, entrepreneurship and hands-on learning, and allowed the pair to apply their knowledge in practical settings. Gardner and Gambrah were accepted into the MicaPlex incubator, which gives startups access to vital infrastructure, such as office and laboratory space, as well as legal counseling, accounting services, IT and venture capital sources. The incubator also provides education and training and facilitates networking and mentoring with seasoned business leaders. 

“They really helped us get exposure, learn more business aspects and learn how to talk to different people,” Gardner says. “Because of the resources and the contacts that they have, they were able to point us to several pitch contests and industry expos, which gave us experience presenting to different people. They also helped us find other funding opportunities and connected us to industry leaders who offered business advice. All of this was invaluable for a small tech startup.” 

Open for Business 

Gardner says MicaPlex administrators also directed them to other local resources, including the University of Central Florida Volusia County Incubator. The incubator provides entrepreneurs with essential resources, mentorship and access to a network of industry experts, helping them navigate the challenges of launching and developing their ventures. 

Located at the U.S. Customs terminal at Daytona Beach International Airport, the 9,600-square-foot facility offers tenants training rooms, offices and conference rooms, a makerspace and a shared reception area. 

Limitless Aeronautics competed in the 2023 Volusia County Innovation Challenge and won $10,000 as well as one year of enrollment in the UCF Business Incubation Program. 

“As a small startup, having an office space and somewhere official that you can actually work out of is a really big step,” Gardner says. “Embry-Riddle pointed us in the right direction and then also helped us set up for the pitch and ultimately win the competition. Now, we have office space as well as a makerspace there, and a path just keeps going forward.” 

Gardner says resources, such as the MicaPlex and the Volusia County Incubator, help cement the region’s reputation as a favorable location for budding businesses. 

“The Daytona Beach area and the Volusia County area specifically are great for startups,” he says. 

“It’s a very lively area with a broad range of different technologies, startups, businesses, etc., that are currently evolving. So, it’s a very unique place.” 

YouScience: Building a Brighter Future

Partnerships between business and education are critical to the vitality of the region and essential to workforce development. That’s why the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce works with CareerSource Flagler Volusia and Volusia County Schools to offer YouScience, a digital skills assessment that helps students uncover their natural abilities and align those skills to the region’s in-demand career fields. 

“By assessing student aptitudes in skills such as spatial visualization, sequential reasoning, idea generation and more, YouScience can provide insight into the student’s innate skill sets,” says Ken Phelps, vice president of resource development for the Daytona Regional Chamber. “Moreover, using data from the Occupational Information Network, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Education and other sources, the YouScience Discovery assessment shows a student how their natural abilities align with hundreds of career pathways.” 

Phelps adds that YouScience has the potential to play a major role in the region’s workforce development efforts. He says understanding the future hiring needs of local businesses and having relevant data on student aptitudes has allowed Volusia County Schools to be very effective in developing the middle school and high school career pathways for students. 

“The goal of initiatives like YouScience is to maximize the potential of each student so they are able to pursue rewarding careers and fulfilling lives right here in the Daytona Beach Region,” Phelps says.

“Another benefit to a program such as this is the ability to be nimble in the face of change. The rate at which technology is changing our world, we need to be preparing our future leaders for careers that may not even exist yet. Using this model of aligning skill sets and careers allows for new career pathways to be shared with students as soon as data on the required skills are available.”