EVOLVE Business and Professional Magazine May 2019 | Page 19

Director of Technology Transfer
and Research Park Initiatives at
The John Mica Engineering and
Aerospace Innovation Complex at
Embry-Riddle Research Park, also
known as the MicaPlex, TechFit was
able to access needed laboratory
and manufacturing space for their
growing international company,
Stephanie Miller, Executive
through the ERAU incubation
Director of Technology
program.
Transfer and Research Park
“TechFit was a collaboration
Initiatives, provides a tour of
the expansive facility at The
between a lot of people in town,
John Mica Engineering and
including the two incubators to bring
Aerospace Innovation Complex
them here,” said Miller. “The Soft
at Embry-Riddle Research
Landing program helped them out
Park.
with the business side of it. Over here
we have tons of laboratory space, so it worked out well,” she said.
Collaborations between the programs isn’t uncommon, although
Miller and Garzon-Bernal often simply send a business or company
over to the other should they find that it doesn’t fit their respective
programs. The experience working with both incubators has been a
net positive for Mauricio Toro, CEO of TechFit. “Since we decided
to start our USA adventure we knew chemistry and being welcome
in a technological ecosystem would be key. Last February when we
came to Daytona for the first time we felt that the UCF incubator
and ERAU with the MicaPlex were very well aligned with what we
were looking for,” said Toro.
“We haven’t been let down! ERAU has been a great source of
talent, and the researchers and professors have been very open to
our ideas and collaboration initiatives. Connie in the UCF incubator
has been our champion. She has opened so many doors for us in
Volusia and adjoining counties. It is very helpful to have people
who understand the ecosystem and are cheering you on and
eliminating barriers,” he said.
The UCF incubator provides support, primarily for a technology,
product or service with a high impact potential, and has been a
solid launch pad for the 2016 startup Aerosapien Technologies.
Comprised of several ERAU graduates, Aerosapien Technologies
provides engineering services, design analysis, and helps industries
to manufacture drones, among other products. Engineers from
the startup utilize the “Make It Lab” at UCF to create functioning
prototypes of their products, while their software and technology
team, also housed in office space on site, handles the backend
work. Working with Bernal at the incubator, Aerosapien has landed
contracts with major companies like Boeing and General Electric.
“The Make It Lab is a great start for anyone who is in the
incubator,” said Integration Engineer, Chandrahouli Vadlamudi.
“It helped out with the equipment and tools. This gave us a lot
of potential and (increased our) confidence level to accept more
projects from clients,” he said.
Just minutes away, the ERAU MicaPlex offers an expansive field
Our students are tomorrow’s
business leaders.
Find out more at: DaytonaState.edu
MAY 2019 | 19 |