There's Mosaic, Arcadian Broad and Drew Thomas Magic. If you're not familiar with these names, they're among the folks that made it to the Top 40 in the popular America's Got Talent show. They have something else in common. They all come from a city where creative talent is building ... and in the eyes of Richard Florida (of the popular 'Creative Class' theory), that's one of the key ingredients to economic competitiveness, transformation and innovation.

Orlando, Florida, has become a place where creative talent is flowing and in multiple industries. The region, long known as an entertainment destination, has transformed into a technology hub that's entertaining company leaders, researchers, entrepreneurs, workers and young minds alike. Here are some reasons why:

This week, Orlando welcomed its inaugural class of 41 med students at the University of Central Florida's (UCF) new College of Medicine -- the first medical school in U.S. history to offer full, four-year scholarships to an entire class. The new college is one anchor in a new 'medical city' underway - one of only two such developments happening in the world right now. It's joined by the recently opened East Coast hub for The Burnham Institute for Medical Research, and forthcoming openings of the University of Florida Research Facility, Veterans Affairs Hospital, M.D. Anderson Cancer Research Institute and Nemours Children's Hospital. Economic analysts predict that by year 10 of operation, the world's newest life sciences cluster here could create 30,000 jobs and $7.6 billion economic activity.

At UCF, research and patents are on the rise. UCF, now the fifth largest university in the nation, has seen research funding (and subsequent lab space) grow exponentially in the past decade, from $37.5 million in 1999 to the new record high of $122.8 million in 2008. Additionally, UCF's patent portfolio was ranked in the top 10 of 122 universities in the U.S.

Inventors, scientists and entrepreneurs are thriving here. New drugs, therapies and vaccines are being developed ... one scientist is genetically modifying lettuce heads to produce insulin in the quest to develop a cure for diabetes. An entrepreneur has developed ultra-portable personal air-conditioners for military personnel. Another is developing advanced micro-batteries for use in medical, alternative energy and other applications. In addition, the number of incubators has grown rapidly here, opening the door to more entrepreneurs.

A new Photonics Academy was created at a local high school in partnership with Northrop Grumman to encourage student interest in the laser/photonics field. This new academy joins others already in existence, including one focusing on simulation (an industry with a top-ranked cluster in Orlando).

Nation-leading digital media schools in Orlando-- Full Sail University and UCF's Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy -- continue to see enrollment grow in this burgeoning field.

Entrepreneur Magazine recently recognized Orlando as one of best places to start a business. Forbes recently recognized Orlando one of best cities for tech jobs. And Next Generation Consulting ranked Orlando as a top hot spot for young professionals.

As a nationally recognized leader in the optics and photonics industry, Metro Orlando is home to a strong and qualified workforce in this specialized realm. Much of this national prominence is thanks to the University of Central Florida's College of Optics & Photonics - one of the world's top graduate institutions in this field - and its two research centers: the Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers (CREOL) and the Florida Photonics Center for Excellence (FPCE), which offers masters and doctoral degrees.

Despite this distinct advantage, skilled workers are still in high demand for this growing industry. In particular, there remains a strong need for qualified workers with two-year degrees to work as laser technicians, both here in Central Florida and across the U.S.

But help is on the way! Tired of spending money to recruit technicians from out-of-state, Northrop Grumman Laser Systems is working with other local companies, your EDC, Valencia Community College (VCC) and Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) to address the workforce dilemna. The result ... the new Photonics Academy at Wekiva High School.

Through the Academy--slated to begin classes in the 2009-2010 school year--students interested in careers as laser/photonics technicians will be dual enrolled at Wekiva High School and VCC. Upon graduation from high school, students will also receive their A.S. degree in photonics from VCC, allowing graduates to immediately enter the workforce with a high-tech skill set. Many local photonics companies also plan to offer tuition assistance programs to existing employees, enabling their technicians to earn the training and degrees they need with little or no out-of-pocket expense.

According to the Florida Photonics Cluster, an industry trade association based in Orlando, about 150 area companies employ a total of 170 photonics technicians. Such jobs typically pay between $45,000 and $70,000 annually. The goal of the Academny is to fill the 20 to 40 photonics technician jobs created in Central Florida annually.

The newly created Photonics Academy is another great example of what makes Metro Orlando the nation's Center for Excellence in Optics & Photonics.

For more information, click here.

Most of us living in Florida take our comfort for granted. We can even control our own personal environment with the simple flick of a switch -- until we walk outside. But what if there were a way to create a personal air conditioner portable enough to take with you anywhere you went?

This may seem a bit decadent for everyday life, even in our summer heat, but what if your job required you to wear a heavy, barely-breathable suit for safety reasons under harsh environmental conditions? Imagine a solider working in a sealed biohazard suit in a HazMat situation in Iraq, or a firefighter attempting to control an intense chemical blaze.

In these cases a personal air conditioner could actually save lives. The concept of personal climate control, one that has interested the military for decades, caught the attention of Dr. Daniel P. Rini, founder of Oviedo-based Rini Technologies, Inc. (RTI). An expert in cooling technology, Rini's company recently produced the first viable prototype of an ultra-portable personal air-conditioner.

Read more