November 12, 2024 • 52 mins
In this exciting episode of The Intern Whisperer Podcast, we welcome Rosangela Parker, Program Manager at Plug and Play Tech Center, to discuss her journey into the startup ecosystem and how she’s driving innovation in Orlando. Rosangela shares her experience in fostering Smart Cities, exploring AI’s role in startups, and how Plug and Play accelerates the growth of small businesses. With insights on the evolving startup ecosystem, the importance of mentorship, and her thoughts on the future of AI, this episode is a must-listen for entrepreneurs and innovators alike. Tune in for valuable advice on navigating the world of smart cities and technology.
Key Takeaways:
- Innovating Orlando: Rosangela highlights the rapid growth of Orlando's startup ecosystem, especially within smart cities, energy, sustainability, and mobility.
- The Role of AI in Startups: AI can drive efficiency and innovation, allowing startups to maximize limited resources.
- Mentorship in the Startup World: Emphasizing the importance of mentorship, Rosangela encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to get involved, share their expertise, and be part of the next generation of innovators.
- Plug and Play's Impact: Rosangela explains how Plug and Play is revolutionizing startup ecosystems by offering tailored resources, mentorship, and connections with investors.
Links:
Website: https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/locations/orlando-fl
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosangelaparker/
Don’t miss this insightful conversation—subscribe to The Intern Whisperer Podcast for more episodes featuring trailblazers in the world of innovation and startups!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
I welcome to the intern whisper and today's guest.
(00:08):
Hold on.
This is, we're doing this show live.
So I'm playing some music here.
Let's see if it starts up.
There it is.
So we turn it down a bit.
Our welcoming music.
Today's guest is one of my dearest friends.
I love her the pieces.
Her name is Rose Angela Parker and she was previously a guest on our on the intern whisper.
(00:34):
And it looks like my music is going down now.
She was previously on the intern whisper.
This show is brought to you by employers for change.
We help hiring teams reduce hiring bias and increased competency skill recruitment and learning.
And as I was mentioning, Rose Angela was a previous guest in season four, episode 158.
(00:55):
Be sure to go and listen to that podcast.
We'll provide that link for you.
And you want to make sure here it is three years later.
She's back on the show, but she's in a different position and it's, she's totally entrenched in startup life.
I knew it wouldn't take long for you to become one of us.
I'm here.
I'm here and I'm loving it.
Thank you so much for the invitation.
It's so happy to be here.
(01:16):
Oh my gosh.
I'm so happy that we're both on the entrepreneur and startup life team.
Yay.
So congratulations on your new role role at plug and play.
Tech Center.
I'm not sure why we get to have a tech center, but we do.
I'm sure you might know something about that.
Can you tell us more about what your role is as a program manager and how you will be helping to shape Orlando startup ecosystem.
(01:43):
Absolutely.
So I will tell you, yes, I am four weeks into my new role and I'm absolutely loving it.
I am drinking from a fire hose right now as I'm trying to absorb all the information.
It is a large multinational organization with the headquarters in Hill Silicon Valley with its focus on innovation.
(02:05):
And so I can tell you that the organization has been growing by leaps and bounds, new locations, opening across the nation.
And smart cities Orlando is will be a year old here in 2025.
So it is.
No way.
Yes, it just one year old.
It'll be one year old that in Q one.
So our location specifically is smart cities Orlando.
(02:30):
Now I mentioned smart cities because that is one of the verticals under plug and play.
Plug and play has over 30 different verticals.
Each one is mostly industry specific, but when it comes to smart cities, we're kind of a hub of for several different verticals.
So you're talking energy and sustainability mobility.
(02:51):
The Internet of things are now kindly referred to as deep tech, as well as the real estate and construction section sector.
That's what we are currently under when it comes to smart cities.
That's what we focus on in this specific location.
Locations across the globe have different specialties and different areas of interest.
So there's always something for any of our startups that we come across.
(03:15):
If it doesn't fit within our wheelhouse, there's likely one across our network that they could benefit from.
Wow, I'm going to tell you a little bit of my experience.
One of an investor, a woman, she did not invest in my company yet.
I'm going to go back and circle to her.
But she introduced me to plug and play his name is Alex Tran and he's kind of high up there.
(03:37):
He's a partner and he had told me about it.
And I'm going to say that for a little part of our interview.
Hold on a minute.
I have somebody knocking at a door. I'm putting us on pot.
So back to the show over here at Tech Hub Orlando, everything's always exciting.
I'm the only one in the building and doing the live show.
So, you know, there's that.
(03:58):
Anyway, how to get packages.
So anyway, back to Alex and the plug and play.
It is one of the oldest. I did not know that. It's like, I don't know, ridiculous.
I'm going to say 20 years old, but I'm pretty sure you said how old it was.
But it's been around for a while and I had never heard about it.
And I thought it sounded like they sold toys, honestly.
(04:22):
Anyway, I think it's exciting that you're working for such a dynamic group.
It's there to help the ecosystem of what startups are and actually promise and promises and does things that sometimes a lot of groups don't do.
So coming back over here on this smart cities, smart cities.
(04:43):
I know you gave us a definition of it and that's super helpful, but many times people don't know that smart means, you know, I have to go through it specific measurable actionable.
I don't know. I'm going to go look it up right now and I should even know these.
But the acronym do you because I'm not trying to put you on the spot, but I'm going to help you out here.
(05:06):
Specific measurable achievable realistic and timely. And that's what the acronym smart actually does mean.
And I find that interesting in this place of technology because it's we're measuring everything, everything.
So you had mentioned a number of areas. You said semiconductors. What is it that we're involved with here in Orlando?
(05:30):
So Orlando currently has two locations.
Neo city focuses on semiconductors.
That is their vertical area of special specialization.
Now, when it comes to Orlando, we are smart cities Orlando.
Our facility is located at UCF's research park.
Our focus is on those things under smart cities. So that encapsulates energy and sustainability.
(05:56):
The Internet of things also referred to as the tech mobility, as well as real estate and construction.
Those are the areas that our location here at the UCF research park.
Location with those are the areas we focus in for our startups.
Very nice. Thanks for clarifying that also. So now I'm going to go to question number two.
(06:18):
So as someone that's been deeply involved in fostering innovative ecosystem,
because I know when we first met, you had a different job and a different capacity when we talked three years ago.
And that was always about highlighting a spotlighting what Orlando has to offer for any of the downtown businesses.
How would you describe the startup ecosystem in Orlando right now? Because what you knew three years ago and what you know now, I'm sure is very different.
(06:46):
And how does it compare to other regions nationally and globally?
Well, I can tell you that Orlando is really investing into in all things innovation.
We've seen it in the last several years where there's been a focus on bringing in companies, organizations that are focused in growth and technology in the greater Orlando area.
(07:09):
And what I'm noticing as well, having worked with a lot of small businesses is the use adaptation of technologies into the workspaces.
We're seeing it adopted in restaurants in the hospitality industry, our hoteliers with their robotics.
Check in systems technology is an immersive thing that we're experiencing on a daily basis.
(07:33):
And sometimes it creeps in and sometimes it's very intrusive.
We come into a space and we're used to having a person in front of us and now they're asking us to use mobile devices to identify whether we're checking into a hotel room or opening a menu, getting into an autonomous vehicle.
So there's different things that are happening in technology, but here in the greater Orlando area, you're seeing autonomous vehicles.
(07:59):
You're hearing about, you know, air taxis in the works. You're talking about integrating a lot more of the technologies in all areas of construction, mobility, energy efficiencies.
So it's more and more being ingrained in our everyday life. And I think people are witnessing it as they find themselves, maybe now with their meters at their homes, they're now digital.
(08:23):
So you don't have people, maybe, you know, coming into your yards now to check your meters and your energy consumption and finding energy efficient ways to conserve our water doing the different processes that we need.
So I say here in Orlando, we're finding that it is growing in that space and there's a lot more investment in the innovation and those that are bringing in the innovation.
(08:50):
As you can see, tech plug and play is bringing this new location and expanding in the state of Florida.
That just shows you how far reaching the desire to grow and innovate here in Orlando, how it's getting out and about and those those that have an interest in seeing it and being a part of it are coming into our region to play a role in that.
(09:15):
You know, I hope that we're taking pictures of this kind of stuff because this morning I was looking up, you know, what did Orlando look like in the early 1920s. They were black and white photos.
I didn't think about it just being black and white. That was, that was impressive to me. And then I was looking at what the like the street that I'm on pine street. What did that look like and then orange and all of the other buildings and I went, wow, there's been so much change.
(09:43):
I hope historically, I don't know if that's part of what you guys do in the smart city area. Take pictures of the before and then boom, you know, here we are, like years later.
It is massive. Are you guys also situated in Lake Nona because that area is just booming like crazy.
So that's where our Neo city location is for some my.
(10:07):
I thought Neo city was to semi no. No, they're in ASEOLA, but it is, but it is a part of that atmosphere right that that innovation. So they're right in the thick of it when it comes to the semi conductor, you know, investment and development area here in central Florida.
(10:28):
Okay. Yeah, I don't think I knew that. I know like known as well known for their, they have quite a bit going on with autonomous driving cars and you know, EVs and electric vehicles and the, you mentioned, you know, taxis air taxis.
That's happening, but it's also going to be medical. It is the medical city for everything.
(10:53):
Yeah, for central Florida, absolutely. And you're going to see more of that. And so we do expect to see more investment in innovations in those areas when you're talking about the medical space.
Definitely, you know, hospitals can see different types of technology being integrated into their everyday, whether it's for, you know, medical procedures, whether it's, you know, customer facing check in data management, you know, being able to access information more, more readily.
(11:22):
So I think there's, we're going to see more and more innovation, especially as we've seen AI penetrate, you know, our everyday lives.
You're going to see more and more that bringing new technologies and new ways of service into our community.
Yeah.
(11:43):
Yeah, I think that we don't recognize how fast it's moving the landscape, literally the physical landscape, the immersive things that are happening where you know I pick up my phone and go, okay, what happened here, but it is happening.
Not just I don't even think one I want to say on a daily basis, it happens.
(12:07):
Almost in the same day.
Oh, yeah, it's pretty exponential. You're seeing every day someone is creating something new.
New technology is being developed, especially when you have access.
I know AI has been a hot button, you know, hot topic for weeks, months, you know, last couple years, but you're really seeing more and more every day.
(12:31):
And people adopting it, creating their own agents, their own chatbots and how they're leveraging this technology to really elevate their industry change the landscape of their industry.
Change the landscape of industry as a whole as more people are finding new ways, new creative ways to monetize what they're doing to extend the reach of their work.
(12:56):
So, I think when you look at the research, it's something that you've never seen what has taken an individual years now they can manage to accomplish in just such a short window of time.
And it's very empowering.
The same time with the, you know, with the dash of caution, right, because it's still in its early discovery development phases, I think, when it comes to individual users, users, and what they're generating.
(13:23):
And that's where people have leveraged the output of such technology at face value, and that's not the safest route.
You need to take caution in making sure that what you're putting out into the environment is correct. And, and there aren't any hallucinations and the information that is being provided is curated and accurate and not just, you know, copy and pasting things.
(13:51):
I know you're supposed to be going out to California pretty soon. I guess it's, is it in January of next year?
January, yes. Yeah. Okay.
So I'm sure you're going to get a lot more exposure to other cool things that's happening there.
Plug and play is known for its work with startups and for partners. How does this organization support startups in accelerating their growth and what sets it apart from other accelerator programs, because first off, is there a cost?
(14:20):
There is no cost. No. Okay. So anybody can sign up.
Anyone can be vetted to be a part of the program. Just keep in mind that it is a very solutions based approach.
Based on the partners that we have in our ecosystem. And if you have a chance to visit our plug and play tech center website, it gives you a bird's eye view of the different verticals and the different corporations that we partner with to be to bring solutions into these
(14:52):
industries. And so that would be like, for me, my biggest takeaway is I'm as I'm navigating the space is really looking at the solutions based approach is finding those innovators that are bringing solutions into these areas of interest.
And then at no cost, inviting them to be a part of the program, putting them through the program, which really focuses on elevating what they're doing, connecting them with people and resources that they need to really take their startup to the next level.
(15:29):
So I think that is an important thing to do with the
opportunity to do that.
And so I think that is no equity that is involved. It's simply an investment in them and in their company.
And obviously with connections to venture capital, there's an opportunity to also provide those connections to get them the financial support they need to continue to grow.
(15:52):
And so I think that's a great thing to do with that because I don't know anything. And thanks for that really great definition and information that was very good.
So I'm sitting here going, it's been a while. I want to go and get reengaged and find out how I can be a part of it. They have something called challenge offers. I found this interesting.
(16:13):
Same as in common with the largest project.
augh of trying money to help.
something here for Europe, something for Amazon,
(16:36):
all types of things.
So if somebody, and I don't know
if you know the answer to this or not,
is there like an application?
Can somebody get started with an application
or do they reach out to you for information?
That's a fair question.
And I would need to delve into it myself
to really provide an answer for that.
My focus from the program management side
(16:58):
is I work with the startups that are invited
to be a part of the program.
So once they're invited, then I take them in
and I go through an onboarding interview process
to better understand where they're at
and what the challenges are that they're facing
and help connect them with those resources
and those individuals to help them through the program.
(17:21):
We do have a ventures arm.
They're the ones who actually go out there
and seek those startups.
And vet them and bring them to our partners
and that's where they go through the selection process.
I'm looking at all of the programs.
I see they have one that says,
I don't know what edges, edge innovation challenge.
There's one for enterprise.
(17:43):
So I'm kind of picking like what I think would be
where I should probably focus.
There was something for women also.
I can't get back to it because the website
is not allowing me to go back to the other side of it.
Like the little directional things
that they only let you go in one direction.
That's interesting.
So I can see quite a bit of opportunity there.
(18:06):
I also see they have a venture capital group
and there's the option where possibly
being able to get that support,
that financial support could be an option too.
So I'm gonna do my homework and make sure
I know more about it so I can come in
and definitely have a more focused conversation.
(18:27):
I fit under SaaS as what Alex Tran had told me
is because it's a SaaS product that reaches out to enterprise.
So I knew what my categories were and that's helpful.
This looks phenomenal.
I cannot be more impressed that you're with
such a dynamic company and you're gonna be able
to bring so much type of opportunity
(18:50):
after you come back from California.
So I'm excited for you.
I am super excited.
I feel like I'm going to Oz
and I'm going to meet the wizard.
I am ready to go to our innovation hub here in the US
(19:11):
and really connect with all these amazing brains.
Yeah.
I feel like that's, I don't know,
they're gonna have to chase me out of there I think.
I'm not gonna come back with books.
If you do, I'm gonna grab a book.
I'm gonna come back so exhilarated.
The program is phenomenal.
I as you know, have been an advocate for small businesses
(19:34):
for a very long time and it's always been my go-to
to try to find the tools or resources,
the people, whatever they need to help them
survive during the pandemic, thrive outside of the pandemic.
Really investing in not only their businesses
but in their selves.
(19:55):
There's a level of burnout
but there's also, they're feeding the business
but it's feeding your mind, feeding your soul,
allowing yourself to fill up your bucket
so you can get back in there
and give the best part of yourself
as you're working through your innovative processes.
And so I am, I feel blessed to be paid
(20:17):
to do something I love to do, helping small businesses.
So I can't wait for my next, for my first batch,
the next batch batch number three for Smart Cities or Lando.
I want to help them thrive in a way
they never thought possible.
And so working with them, working with our former batch,
I wanna call them graduates
(20:38):
but those who come through the program,
Batch One and Batch Two,
I really haven't had an opportunity to really to meet them.
So I'll be coordinating the schedule for the next year
and I'll have the opportunity to schedule events
and meetups to really get to know them
and see where they're at and continue to feed them
the tools, the resources, the connections they need
(21:01):
to grow their businesses and continue to expand.
And so if all things go well,
we'll have all types of new startups right here
in our own backyard calling this home
and helping bring our community,
taking it to another level.
And maybe making it a multinational.
Ideally, I would love to see more outputs coming from
(21:24):
our domestic businesses.
So more of that manufacturing
and exporting of goods and services
to continue to grow our domestic economy.
So.
So what is your background?
Because I don't think we even gave that a blink of an eye.
Let's do this back.
Yeah, what is your background?
(21:45):
I have a bachelor's in business and information management.
I've always thought the data,
that's a better story telling than we do.
I know as you think we're rational beings,
but that's the last thing we are.
But if we lean into the data,
it will really tell us what we need to know
to make effective decisions to level up
(22:08):
or maybe step back if you need to step back.
I have over 10 years experience working in government
and travel and tourism,
worked in spaces of marketing and economic development.
I spent a few years in downtown Orlando,
running one of their main street programs,
formerly Church Street District.
We rebranded it to City District.
(22:31):
That now has, we were able to successfully expand
that footprint from like six city blocks
to over 600 square acres.
We were able to effectively not only rebrand it,
but expand the board and unfortunately,
all of this was during the time of the pandemic.
And so the focus was not so much.
(22:52):
When they brought me in,
it was to put downtown Orlando back on the map,
as a destination,
but the pandemic really changed,
the direction of things for us.
And my focus at that time was to try to save
as many businesses as possible.
It was just, it was a long ruling time,
helping as many businesses as I could
(23:14):
and having to be that shoulder for many
as they unfortunately had to close their doors.
But I do see that it's just an opportunity
for those who have successfully made it through
to continue to grow and thrive.
And for those that are looking to start up
downtown Orlando is a beautiful space
(23:35):
to consider to start a new venture there.
So.
Yeah.
And our tax base is not as bad as other states,
that's for sure.
So we know that you've been a participant at Startup Weekend.
At some point in time,
I feel like you're gonna wanna go,
oh, let me go be an organizer instead
(23:56):
and participate in a different level.
What are your thoughts about the impact
that Startup Weekend has in our community?
And I know you've gone to 1 million cups.
I mean, we can mention a lot of the things
that you happen involved because as you started over there
with the downtown Main Street program,
(24:17):
to me it's very similar as to what you've been experiencing
and it's always about pulling people together.
But what is the impact that you've seen so far?
We'll say 1 million cups and Startup Weekend.
Absolutely.
I think they're both great programs
to introduce people to the space of the Startup Space
(24:39):
and Innovation Space.
I participated in Startup Weekend Orlando two years in a row.
And it's not because I am a tinker, I am a thinker.
And so for me, it was an opportunity
to kind of come into a space and just see what was new
(25:00):
and what was happening in that space.
So I registered to be a suit and that is to bring in
that more business side of all things Startup
into that space.
And so I was able to effectively work with the team
and see how the organization just brought all these people
from different walks of life, all different ages,
(25:21):
from pre-teens in there with all levels of adults
and backgrounds and cultures and everyone
kind of coming together and forming these groups around
these different startup ideas that people really connected with.
I think it's a great opportunity to continue
to connect people from all walks of life.
(25:43):
Like I said, I am not a computer engineer or programmer.
And so for me going into that space,
it allowed me the opportunity to be a part of something,
bringing my knowledge and skill sets in business
and helping them on that side to bring that.
So that's everything from identifying finance,
operations, the programming, the marketing side of things,
(26:08):
all those things in business.
I'll play a major role as well in the startup community.
And so for those who have an interest that feel like
there isn't a space for them or they don't know
how they could connect, I challenge them to take
that opportunity to enroll in one of the startup weekends
and just get familiar with it.
You never know what it might inspire you to do next.
(26:29):
And the same thing with 1 million cups.
I engaged with 1 million cups,
remotely, virtually, originally,
having seen it online in some of the different presentations
through the YouTube channel that they have
and found that there were local locations
throughout the Central Florida region
and I was able to attend some personally
(26:52):
and others virtually.
And again, you get to see what people in your community
are doing, what they're wanting to bring as an offering
to help them create a business for themselves
and lean into their entrepreneurial spirit,
but at the same time, bring different types of services
and products into our community.
And to, you know, you never know what that might end up
(27:15):
becoming for someone.
And so to be able to attend a 1 million cups
and provide feedback that may help them level up
to where they need to be to really take it
to the next level is also a great sense of satisfaction
to know that you played even the smallest of roles
in helping another person survive
or thrive in their business.
(27:36):
So just so our listeners know,
I'm gonna give a little bit of background.
1 million cups is a global organization
that is held at nine o'clock in the morning,
everywhere around the world at Wednesday, nine o'clock AM,
that is people apply to come and pitch an idea.
It can be a concept or it can be a startup.
(27:57):
And they get, I think it's six minutes to pitch, right?
Is it still six?
Six minutes to pitch, I used to be an organizer,
I should know this, but you know, I'm having to check.
And then they have 18 minutes of customer feedback
or, you know, audience participation feedback
coming back to them and they'll tell them, you know,
problems, you know, more things to tighten up on
(28:19):
as well as things that they thought were really, really good.
But sometimes there's a few people in the crowd
that are even investors.
That's funded by the Kauffman Foundation, started, not funded,
but it is started by the Kauffman Foundation.
So they always look for people to participate
and then startup weekend, in case you don't know what that is,
(28:40):
it's a Techstars program, it's put on,
it is also a global organization, a program
where people can go and sign up,
just like what you were saying.
If you have a concept, you get to pitch your concept,
we have one minute pitches,
and then everybody forms teams on Friday night,
it's basically a 54-hour experience
(29:02):
where you go from concept to customer validation
to you should be able to make money.
And it's refining that.
And so you don't need the big long business plan,
it's something that is an event that helps people
to ideate quickly, learn how to pivot, and how to let go.
So all of these things are very valuable
(29:23):
if you're trying to get into a startup.
So we're gonna take a moment and acknowledge
our sponsor, Cat5 Studios, and we will be right back.
See.
The intern, Whisper, is brought to you by Cat5 Studios
to help you create games and video-share training
(29:44):
and marketing needs that are left of this world.
This is Cat5 Studios for our company, City.
All right, so we are back to the second half of our show.
And my guest today is Rose Angela Parker.
We've been talking about plug-and-play
and organization that she is with
(30:06):
that supports the ecosystem of startup life.
So you've been talking quite a bit about some of the AI
in the first half, but now we have more targeted questions.
AI is rapidly advancing and is becoming an integral part
of many industries.
How do you see AI positively impacting startups,
particularly in the realm of smart cities
(30:29):
and other innovation ecosystems?
Well, AI has presented a huge opportunity
for all small businesses to really leverage the capacity
it has to process information that help generate responses.
So I really think AI provides a great opportunity
(30:53):
for the startup community.
When you think of cost factors for any business,
a huge part of it is your workforce
and that the skill sets that they bring
and not to displace anyone,
but if you do not have the financial resources
to really bring in the team that you need,
(31:14):
early on you can use the AI tools and resources out there
in a very responsible way,
leveraging its capacity to process some of that data,
to utilize a lot of that information,
those databases that are currently out there
and available and accessible to the public,
to really provide you the information you need
(31:35):
to make informed decisions,
to really leverage it to create processes of efficiency
to help you better improve the way
your business operates and flows.
And so I think it really allows itself
to really provide just that time that you need
(31:56):
to really focus on your business
when this can so quickly do so much,
the work that it would take a person,
several days or several hours in a matter of seconds,
you can have a very rough,
I would call it a rough draft of what you need.
I always say be responsible using AI,
(32:18):
do not take the information you get just at face value.
I think it provides a great foundation
to kind of analyze and tweak and customize it
to make sure that it is in your voice
and it is what you need and that the information
that you're putting in is exactly what needs to be in there
to get the proper responses, right?
(32:40):
Because your response are only as good
as the questions you put in there.
And so and the data that you upload into it.
So be responsible in using AI,
but I really feel like it gives you an opportunity
to do so much more with your limited resources
used responsibly.
Yeah, I liked, not many people usually say this,
(33:03):
but you did mention displacing people.
And you know, the next question is always the one about,
you know, the side that we need to keep in balance.
Jeffrey Hinton is called the Godfather of AI.
He created, he's one of the founders that created AI
back in the late 50s, you know,
(33:24):
and they were all over in a university.
Somewhere in the northeastern side of our country.
I don't know if it was Harvard or where,
but as they created it,
he, they created a lot of things that we take for granted,
such as, you know, microwaves, those were created.
They created honestly flying cars.
(33:46):
They were talking about this concept back in the late 50s.
They created computers.
They've created the cell phones that we experienced.
Everything that we have has come out of places like that.
In addition to movies,
a lot of the science fiction movies that we experienced.
His concern was that if we don't put boundaries around it,
(34:08):
it can, he literally said it can take humanity down.
And it was on 60 minutes, his interview was there,
and it was October 8th for anybody who wants to go look it up
in last year, 2023.
So that is a very interesting perspective
that a person that invented it now wishes that he had not,
(34:29):
because he's looking at humanity,
and being what it is,
is it can be that we have some dangerous people out there.
They created it without the thought of like,
ooh, what could happen?
They saw one side of it, which is pretty human,
to be honest.
So how do we address the negative thoughts?
(34:53):
I watch Black Mirror, I've seen that, I'm sure you have,
but I don't think that we should stick our head in the sand.
What do you think we should be doing
to wrap our arms around it and create some card rails, if you will?
You know, that is a tough one.
It's been a Pandora's box.
That box has been opened.
(35:15):
There's a lot of that information out there.
Listen, it's happened time and time again.
We've seen technology be abused
in so many different ways.
It's tough.
It really is tough to say,
how do you put guard rails on something after it's been released?
And so, right now,
(35:37):
I really don't have an answer.
I think of when we started seeing things like the printers,
being able to print things remotely at home,
and the innovator, and you start thinking,
oh, you can print all these magnificent things
and all these great ideas.
But somewhere down the line,
someone thought it was a great idea to print,
(35:59):
you know, weapons of war and print,
you know, guns and things.
And we've seen what has happened, right?
Now, they're being used,
and they're used to do things that
that shouldn't be happening in society,
but the reality is it is.
And so, I don't know.
It's hard to say.
It's already out there.
(36:21):
How do you put rails on something
that has already been released,
and so many people have access to?
It's, I don't think you could put it back in the box.
I really don't.
I think you already have so much of that already out there
that it's, you can't,
(36:42):
I can't even say regulation, right?
Because I am a fan of both things, right?
I want to see innovation grow,
but I also know how, have witnessed how it can be used
and abused as a weapon in so many ways.
And I mean, whether it's psychologically, financially,
it's, there's just so much that can go wrong.
(37:04):
And so, I don't think you can put rails on it now.
That's my thought.
If someone has a way of doing it,
I mean, the only way I could think of is,
can someone, you know, spend time,
maybe open up a wormhole or something,
take us back several years and pull this out,
but then what does that do for where we're at?
(37:26):
Yeah, but they were starting it back in the late 50s.
So you're talking 60 something plus years.
That's just not possible.
But I feel like what they can do and they are doing
is they talk about world economic forum.
If somebody doesn't know that,
I would say they need to start there.
So world economic forum,
just Google that and you'll go to it's weform.org.
(37:49):
They've addressed having global stakeholders
to help champion responsible design and release
and about transparent and inclusive AI systems.
So they're addressing the governance side of it.
They've, I think it was at the beginning of this year.
I think it was this year, 2024.
The three big groups, Microsoft and AI, what,
(38:13):
Gen AI and two other groups had all said,
okay, we need to stop.
We need to pause and development.
And they sat at a table and they decided to have,
well, we need to have some kind of a plan.
I think that was a really responsible thing that they did.
There is now a lot more awareness
and education is happening.
(38:34):
I feel like to make sure that people know how to use it.
And it very important for us as adults
to be teaching this to children and young adults
because they just take everything go,
oh, it must be true.
It's on the internet.
No, and a lot of grownups do that too.
So you touched on it, you said it.
It's, you know, make sure that you're using it responsibly
(38:56):
that you know it's a giant Google search
and you get it in seconds
instead of having to read through it yourself.
The good and the bad is all out there.
You can't believe it's accurate, not yet.
Yeah, it's it's it's very difficult.
I mean, I I know that we want to think, oh, AI,
it's it's this intelligent being.
(39:17):
But the reality is it's it's just a combination of everything.
We know everything we know is accurate.
So it's all you think of all the possibilities.
I think of, OK, if if AI, if open AI,
whatever source of AI, if they're just feeding it
(39:39):
the internet of things, right?
I'm like, there is so much misinformation out there
that all you're doing is providing all this, you know,
confusion into this, you know, calculator.
That's just going to, you know, add and subtract
and do all these things and then spit out an answer.
And it's like, how much truth is there to that?
(40:01):
How accurate it is.
So it is the outcome is no better than the input.
And at this point, if the input is all things
that are out there on the internet,
I don't lean so much into believing all that now.
If the source is and even then we've seen it,
I know I have, you know, the published some published papers
(40:23):
are now being redacted and pulled back
because the information that was published was manipulated
or erroneous in some way.
And so it's like, if you if you just feed it all things
that are published papers, how much accuracy incorrect.
So there's just, I just say it's a tool.
It has the capabilities of doing some amazing things.
(40:45):
I say just use it responsibly and don't lean on it
for accuracy.
You provide it and provide the calculation,
the question that you need answered.
I think you have a lot more control of that output.
But if you're just leaning into a question
and just throwing it out there and asking it
(41:07):
to reach into the void and give you an answer,
I think you're gonna find yourself very challenged
to find the best answer for your question.
You know, I just did a little search
who is responsible for AI governance.
And it said there's currently no comprehensive legislation
in the US that directly, US, our country.
(41:28):
Correct.
That lets AI, however, the White House executive order
on AI and proposed legislation at the federal,
and state level generally seeks to address
the following issues, safety and security,
obviously something that we should all be concerned.
I know as I had mentioned earlier
that World Economic Forum is doing a unified poll
(41:53):
to bring a lot of global leaders together to address this.
And I find that that's a good thing.
We need to have something like that happening.
But it's really, every time we have something
that's been a major shift in technology
always has concerns as well as pluses, well,
(42:17):
concerns in your pluses.
With that said, we have to make sure
that each time we launch anything,
whether it's a new iPhone or it's a drug or it's technology,
what are we doing to make sure safety,
just like what I read about,
what is it safety and security is in place?
(42:39):
Yeah, absolutely.
So coming over here next question,
as someone who works closely with entrepreneurs
and investors, how do you approach balancing
the innovation, innovative potential of AI
with the need for transparency and ethical safeguards?
I think we just pretty much answered that one.
I think so, I really do.
(43:00):
I think a big part of it, like I said,
it's a matter of, I definitely say awareness
is empowering, you need to know what's out there.
And, but I also know that you also need
to use it responsibly.
I don't think, like you said earlier,
putting your head in the sand is going to make it go away.
And it's not going to get you any closer to your goal.
(43:22):
It may actually set you further from your goal
as others adopt these new technologies.
But at the same time, do it responsibly.
So do it with your eyes wide open,
know what you're looking at and make informed decisions,
not just hypotheticals,
but really look at the data and let that guide your decision.
It's been as nice.
(43:43):
So what is the best mentoring advice
that you would want to pass,
I think it's just honestly the last thing you said too,
but I don't want to take that for granted.
What is the best mentoring advice
that you want to share with our listeners
about the future?
Because nobody saw COVID coming.
Nobody saw AI.
Nobody sees these things.
(44:04):
It's just like, oh, it hit you in the face, right?
Exactly.
So I sit here and I go,
well, what is the next thing that I think I can see?
I have things that I see and I have concerns about,
and I'm sure other people do,
but what is it that you think
is the best advice that you would pass on?
I definitely feel it's important to keep an open mind.
(44:28):
And look at the possibilities.
It's better to be aware and make informed decisions
than not to inform yourself
and allow others to form your basis of response.
So really understand that there's information coming to us
(44:49):
from all different angles.
And so being able to do a little research,
try things out for yourself,
find your comfort level and make an informed decision
based on that.
It really makes a huge difference when you know firsthand
than taking secondhand information and basing it on that,
unless that secondhand information comes validated, right?
(45:12):
With actual reliable sources of information,
not because you heard it on the internet,
not because someone mentioned it in the news,
but really, you know, doing some research,
reading some of this information,
trying some of these things out
and see what works for you and what doesn't.
But at least you're making an informed decision
based on your own personal assessment
(45:34):
and not allowing others to dictate
what isn't in your best interest.
It applies, yeah.
It's very concise and has real direction.
I really appreciate that.
So how can our listeners reach out and find you?
(45:55):
I put the Plug and Play website on here
and your LinkedIn profile,
but I don't know if there's anything else
you want me to include.
No, absolutely.
We do have a landing page on Plug and Play Tech Center's website
specifically for Orlando,
but you can always find me also on LinkedIn
under Rosandela Parker.
(46:16):
We do have in a plug and play LinkedIn presence
and several of the verticals each have their own specific
landing page within LinkedIn.
So if you're specifically interested in Smart Cities,
be sure to follow the Smart Cities landing page.
And that is encompassing all the Smart City locations
(46:39):
across the US.
There's probably about a handful of them now.
We do expect to see more of those, you know,
happening up within the next year or two.
So keep that in mind.
But if you have interest in other areas,
we do have specific pages for different areas
like mobility or like the tech.
So keep looking at what's available out there.
(47:01):
There are every year, I know for us in Orlando specifically,
we do, we put two batches through the system every year.
And that allows us to help, you know,
between 20 to 40 new startups in their startup phase
come through the program.
And so I'll expect to have that many more now coming through
(47:24):
in 2025.
And each one brings just a variety of innovative, you know,
thought processes and techniques and creative talent
into that sphere.
So if you're interested in being a part of that,
one of the things I'm tasked to do is recruit mentors
to help our startups.
(47:45):
And so if you're interested in being a mentor,
if you bring experience and expertise,
whether from the startup side or from some area of industry,
and you want to be a part of that,
of these entrepreneurs journeys, feel free to reach out.
Again, you can reach out to me directly
through Rosangela Parker and LinkedIn,
(48:06):
or you can reach out to me at rparker, r.parker
at pmptc.com.
Well, I'm gonna thank you so much for being a guest
on the show.
I, you know, there was a couple of things you said,
and I know it's taking one step back,
but mobility and something else that you said.
So how do you guys?
Sustainability, energy.
(48:27):
Yeah, and investors who may not know,
how do you all define mobility and deep tech?
Mobility, all things, all things mobility.
You're talking, you know, transportation.
That's cell phones, mobile phones, is that correct?
Well, that's part of those are part of the,
the detect, deep tech space as well.
Right, when you look in at the software developments
(48:49):
and things like that, but in the mobility space,
I think we've had a few that have been either working,
you're looking at autonomous vehicles, right?
You're looking at sensors that help power these things.
So that's a combination of the tech,
deep tech as well as mobility.
So those things that you think can influence or work
in any of those spaces, that's, that's what we look at.
I think they're, they're pretty broad, deep tech kind of
(49:12):
branched in out of the internet of things.
As you know how broad that is, you know, with SaaS
and everything else that's in there.
So I would say if you have any, any business, you know,
innovation that you want to bring to the table,
we definitely have a venture's arm that would be
probably more than happy to kind of get to know,
get to know you a little bit and get to understand
(49:35):
your area of business.
And if one of our verticals would be a good fit,
then they might just, you know, if you're interested,
connect you with those resources to see if there might
be an opportunity to help you bring that to that next,
bring it into the program and take it to the next level.
So there's always an opportunity, I would say.
What I've noticed too is I usually like to move things
(49:59):
around and so an innovation that you might think
would be perfect for mobility might also be very well
adapted into, let's say, the health space.
And so there's always an opportunity to look at it
from a different perspective, you know,
look at the different verticals that are there and say,
hey, can my innovation have an impact in any of these areas
(50:21):
and is that a pivot worth taking?
So keep that in mind, you just never know.
Well, I want to thank you so much for being against
on the show.
Congratulations again.
Take lots of pictures when you go out there.
I'd love to see like the inside of plug and plug.
And I hope it's like, I don't know how many days
are you gonna be there?
I'll be there for three days.
(50:43):
Yeah.
Okay, it's gonna be intense then.
Yeah.
Yeah, I'm excited.
I'm very excited.
I'm very, I've been very lucky.
I've got an awesome team that I'm working with,
boots on the ground here and I've met several people
from my headquarters, so I can't wait to meet them in person.
And they're doing amazing work and everyone seems
just so happy and satisfied with the work that they're doing
(51:07):
and the impact that they're having
and I'm just so glad to be a part of it.
I am happy for you also.
Will you take care and thank you again?
Thank you, thank you.
Good to see you.
(51:30):
So I wanna thank you for being our listeners.
Thank you to our sponsor, Cat5studios
and thank you to our video and production and editing team.
Music is by Sophie Lloyd.
The interim whispers brought to you by employers for change,
helping hiring teams recruit and upskill interns to employees
through mission, values, beliefs and course skills.
(51:51):
Learn more at www.e4c.tech.
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Tagging a friend and leaving us comments.
You can find the interim whisper podcast on employers for change
YouTube channel or streaming from your favorite podcast channel.
I welcome to the intern whisper and today's guest.
(00:08):
Hold on.
This is, we're doing this show live.
So I'm playing some music here.
Let's see if it starts up.
There it is.
So we turn it down a bit.
Our welcoming music.
Today's guest is one of my dearest friends.
I love her the pieces.
Her name is Rose Angela Parker and she was previously a guest on our on the intern whisper.
(00:34):
And it looks like my music is going down now.
She was previously on the intern whisper.
This show is brought to you by employers for change.
We help hiring teams reduce hiring bias and increased competency skill recruitment and learning.
And as I was mentioning, Rose Angela was a previous guest in season four, episode 158.
(00:55):
Be sure to go and listen to that podcast.
We'll provide that link for you.
And you want to make sure here it is three years later.
She's back on the show, but she's in a different position and it's, she's totally entrenched in startup life.
I knew it wouldn't take long for you to become one of us.
I'm here.
I'm here and I'm loving it.
Thank you so much for the invitation.
It's so happy to be here.
(01:16):
Oh my gosh.
I'm so happy that we're both on the entrepreneur and startup life team.
Yay.
So congratulations on your new role role at plug and play.
Tech Center.
I'm not sure why we get to have a tech center, but we do.
I'm sure you might know something about that.
Can you tell us more about what your role is as a program manager and how you will be helping to shape Orlando startup ecosystem.
(01:43):
Absolutely.
So I will tell you, yes, I am four weeks into my new role and I'm absolutely loving it.
I am drinking from a fire hose right now as I'm trying to absorb all the information.
It is a large multinational organization with the headquarters in Hill Silicon Valley with its focus on innovation.
(02:05):
And so I can tell you that the organization has been growing by leaps and bounds, new locations, opening across the nation.
And smart cities Orlando is will be a year old here in 2025.
So it is.
No way.
Yes, it just one year old.
It'll be one year old that in Q one.
So our location specifically is smart cities Orlando.
(02:30):
Now I mentioned smart cities because that is one of the verticals under plug and play.
Plug and play has over 30 different verticals.
Each one is mostly industry specific, but when it comes to smart cities, we're kind of a hub of for several different verticals.
So you're talking energy and sustainability mobility.
(02:51):
The Internet of things are now kindly referred to as deep tech, as well as the real estate and construction section sector.
That's what we are currently under when it comes to smart cities.
That's what we focus on in this specific location.
Locations across the globe have different specialties and different areas of interest.
So there's always something for any of our startups that we come across.
(03:15):
If it doesn't fit within our wheelhouse, there's likely one across our network that they could benefit from.
Wow, I'm going to tell you a little bit of my experience.
One of an investor, a woman, she did not invest in my company yet.
I'm going to go back and circle to her.
But she introduced me to plug and play his name is Alex Tran and he's kind of high up there.
(03:37):
He's a partner and he had told me about it.
And I'm going to say that for a little part of our interview.
Hold on a minute.
I have somebody knocking at a door. I'm putting us on pot.
So back to the show over here at Tech Hub Orlando, everything's always exciting.
I'm the only one in the building and doing the live show.
So, you know, there's that.
(03:58):
Anyway, how to get packages.
So anyway, back to Alex and the plug and play.
It is one of the oldest. I did not know that. It's like, I don't know, ridiculous.
I'm going to say 20 years old, but I'm pretty sure you said how old it was.
But it's been around for a while and I had never heard about it.
And I thought it sounded like they sold toys, honestly.
(04:22):
Anyway, I think it's exciting that you're working for such a dynamic group.
It's there to help the ecosystem of what startups are and actually promise and promises and does things that sometimes a lot of groups don't do.
So coming back over here on this smart cities, smart cities.
(04:43):
I know you gave us a definition of it and that's super helpful, but many times people don't know that smart means, you know, I have to go through it specific measurable actionable.
I don't know. I'm going to go look it up right now and I should even know these.
But the acronym do you because I'm not trying to put you on the spot, but I'm going to help you out here.
(05:06):
Specific measurable achievable realistic and timely. And that's what the acronym smart actually does mean.
And I find that interesting in this place of technology because it's we're measuring everything, everything.
So you had mentioned a number of areas. You said semiconductors. What is it that we're involved with here in Orlando?
(05:30):
So Orlando currently has two locations.
Neo city focuses on semiconductors.
That is their vertical area of special specialization.
Now, when it comes to Orlando, we are smart cities Orlando.
Our facility is located at UCF's research park.
Our focus is on those things under smart cities. So that encapsulates energy and sustainability.
(05:56):
The Internet of things also referred to as the tech mobility, as well as real estate and construction.
Those are the areas that our location here at the UCF research park.
Location with those are the areas we focus in for our startups.
Very nice. Thanks for clarifying that also. So now I'm going to go to question number two.
(06:18):
So as someone that's been deeply involved in fostering innovative ecosystem,
because I know when we first met, you had a different job and a different capacity when we talked three years ago.
And that was always about highlighting a spotlighting what Orlando has to offer for any of the downtown businesses.
How would you describe the startup ecosystem in Orlando right now? Because what you knew three years ago and what you know now, I'm sure is very different.
(06:46):
And how does it compare to other regions nationally and globally?
Well, I can tell you that Orlando is really investing into in all things innovation.
We've seen it in the last several years where there's been a focus on bringing in companies, organizations that are focused in growth and technology in the greater Orlando area.
(07:09):
And what I'm noticing as well, having worked with a lot of small businesses is the use adaptation of technologies into the workspaces.
We're seeing it adopted in restaurants in the hospitality industry, our hoteliers with their robotics.
Check in systems technology is an immersive thing that we're experiencing on a daily basis.
(07:33):
And sometimes it creeps in and sometimes it's very intrusive.
We come into a space and we're used to having a person in front of us and now they're asking us to use mobile devices to identify whether we're checking into a hotel room or opening a menu, getting into an autonomous vehicle.
So there's different things that are happening in technology, but here in the greater Orlando area, you're seeing autonomous vehicles.
(07:59):
You're hearing about, you know, air taxis in the works. You're talking about integrating a lot more of the technologies in all areas of construction, mobility, energy efficiencies.
So it's more and more being ingrained in our everyday life. And I think people are witnessing it as they find themselves, maybe now with their meters at their homes, they're now digital.
(08:23):
So you don't have people, maybe, you know, coming into your yards now to check your meters and your energy consumption and finding energy efficient ways to conserve our water doing the different processes that we need.
So I say here in Orlando, we're finding that it is growing in that space and there's a lot more investment in the innovation and those that are bringing in the innovation.
(08:50):
As you can see, tech plug and play is bringing this new location and expanding in the state of Florida.
That just shows you how far reaching the desire to grow and innovate here in Orlando, how it's getting out and about and those those that have an interest in seeing it and being a part of it are coming into our region to play a role in that.
(09:15):
You know, I hope that we're taking pictures of this kind of stuff because this morning I was looking up, you know, what did Orlando look like in the early 1920s. They were black and white photos.
I didn't think about it just being black and white. That was, that was impressive to me. And then I was looking at what the like the street that I'm on pine street. What did that look like and then orange and all of the other buildings and I went, wow, there's been so much change.
(09:43):
I hope historically, I don't know if that's part of what you guys do in the smart city area. Take pictures of the before and then boom, you know, here we are, like years later.
It is massive. Are you guys also situated in Lake Nona because that area is just booming like crazy.
So that's where our Neo city location is for some my.
(10:07):
I thought Neo city was to semi no. No, they're in ASEOLA, but it is, but it is a part of that atmosphere right that that innovation. So they're right in the thick of it when it comes to the semi conductor, you know, investment and development area here in central Florida.
(10:28):
Okay. Yeah, I don't think I knew that. I know like known as well known for their, they have quite a bit going on with autonomous driving cars and you know, EVs and electric vehicles and the, you mentioned, you know, taxis air taxis.
That's happening, but it's also going to be medical. It is the medical city for everything.
(10:53):
Yeah, for central Florida, absolutely. And you're going to see more of that. And so we do expect to see more investment in innovations in those areas when you're talking about the medical space.
Definitely, you know, hospitals can see different types of technology being integrated into their everyday, whether it's for, you know, medical procedures, whether it's, you know, customer facing check in data management, you know, being able to access information more, more readily.
(11:22):
So I think there's, we're going to see more and more innovation, especially as we've seen AI penetrate, you know, our everyday lives.
You're going to see more and more that bringing new technologies and new ways of service into our community.
Yeah.
(11:43):
Yeah, I think that we don't recognize how fast it's moving the landscape, literally the physical landscape, the immersive things that are happening where you know I pick up my phone and go, okay, what happened here, but it is happening.
Not just I don't even think one I want to say on a daily basis, it happens.
(12:07):
Almost in the same day.
Oh, yeah, it's pretty exponential. You're seeing every day someone is creating something new.
New technology is being developed, especially when you have access.
I know AI has been a hot button, you know, hot topic for weeks, months, you know, last couple years, but you're really seeing more and more every day.
(12:31):
And people adopting it, creating their own agents, their own chatbots and how they're leveraging this technology to really elevate their industry change the landscape of their industry.
Change the landscape of industry as a whole as more people are finding new ways, new creative ways to monetize what they're doing to extend the reach of their work.
(12:56):
So, I think when you look at the research, it's something that you've never seen what has taken an individual years now they can manage to accomplish in just such a short window of time.
And it's very empowering.
The same time with the, you know, with the dash of caution, right, because it's still in its early discovery development phases, I think, when it comes to individual users, users, and what they're generating.
(13:23):
And that's where people have leveraged the output of such technology at face value, and that's not the safest route.
You need to take caution in making sure that what you're putting out into the environment is correct. And, and there aren't any hallucinations and the information that is being provided is curated and accurate and not just, you know, copy and pasting things.
(13:51):
I know you're supposed to be going out to California pretty soon. I guess it's, is it in January of next year?
January, yes. Yeah. Okay.
So I'm sure you're going to get a lot more exposure to other cool things that's happening there.
Plug and play is known for its work with startups and for partners. How does this organization support startups in accelerating their growth and what sets it apart from other accelerator programs, because first off, is there a cost?
(14:20):
There is no cost. No. Okay. So anybody can sign up.
Anyone can be vetted to be a part of the program. Just keep in mind that it is a very solutions based approach.
Based on the partners that we have in our ecosystem. And if you have a chance to visit our plug and play tech center website, it gives you a bird's eye view of the different verticals and the different corporations that we partner with to be to bring solutions into these
(14:52):
industries. And so that would be like, for me, my biggest takeaway is I'm as I'm navigating the space is really looking at the solutions based approach is finding those innovators that are bringing solutions into these areas of interest.
And then at no cost, inviting them to be a part of the program, putting them through the program, which really focuses on elevating what they're doing, connecting them with people and resources that they need to really take their startup to the next level.
(15:29):
So I think that is an important thing to do with the
opportunity to do that.
And so I think that is no equity that is involved. It's simply an investment in them and in their company.
And obviously with connections to venture capital, there's an opportunity to also provide those connections to get them the financial support they need to continue to grow.
(15:52):
And so I think that's a great thing to do with that because I don't know anything. And thanks for that really great definition and information that was very good.
So I'm sitting here going, it's been a while. I want to go and get reengaged and find out how I can be a part of it. They have something called challenge offers. I found this interesting.
(16:13):
Same as in common with the largest project.
augh of trying money to help.
something here for Europe, something for Amazon,
(16:36):
all types of things.
So if somebody, and I don't know
if you know the answer to this or not,
is there like an application?
Can somebody get started with an application
or do they reach out to you for information?
That's a fair question.
And I would need to delve into it myself
to really provide an answer for that.
My focus from the program management side
(16:58):
is I work with the startups that are invited
to be a part of the program.
So once they're invited, then I take them in
and I go through an onboarding interview process
to better understand where they're at
and what the challenges are that they're facing
and help connect them with those resources
and those individuals to help them through the program.
(17:21):
We do have a ventures arm.
They're the ones who actually go out there
and seek those startups.
And vet them and bring them to our partners
and that's where they go through the selection process.
I'm looking at all of the programs.
I see they have one that says,
I don't know what edges, edge innovation challenge.
There's one for enterprise.
(17:43):
So I'm kind of picking like what I think would be
where I should probably focus.
There was something for women also.
I can't get back to it because the website
is not allowing me to go back to the other side of it.
Like the little directional things
that they only let you go in one direction.
That's interesting.
So I can see quite a bit of opportunity there.
(18:06):
I also see they have a venture capital group
and there's the option where possibly
being able to get that support,
that financial support could be an option too.
So I'm gonna do my homework and make sure
I know more about it so I can come in
and definitely have a more focused conversation.
(18:27):
I fit under SaaS as what Alex Tran had told me
is because it's a SaaS product that reaches out to enterprise.
So I knew what my categories were and that's helpful.
This looks phenomenal.
I cannot be more impressed that you're with
such a dynamic company and you're gonna be able
to bring so much type of opportunity
(18:50):
after you come back from California.
So I'm excited for you.
I am super excited.
I feel like I'm going to Oz
and I'm going to meet the wizard.
I am ready to go to our innovation hub here in the US
(19:11):
and really connect with all these amazing brains.
Yeah.
I feel like that's, I don't know,
they're gonna have to chase me out of there I think.
I'm not gonna come back with books.
If you do, I'm gonna grab a book.
I'm gonna come back so exhilarated.
The program is phenomenal.
I as you know, have been an advocate for small businesses
(19:34):
for a very long time and it's always been my go-to
to try to find the tools or resources,
the people, whatever they need to help them
survive during the pandemic, thrive outside of the pandemic.
Really investing in not only their businesses
but in their selves.
(19:55):
There's a level of burnout
but there's also, they're feeding the business
but it's feeding your mind, feeding your soul,
allowing yourself to fill up your bucket
so you can get back in there
and give the best part of yourself
as you're working through your innovative processes.
And so I am, I feel blessed to be paid
(20:17):
to do something I love to do, helping small businesses.
So I can't wait for my next, for my first batch,
the next batch batch number three for Smart Cities or Lando.
I want to help them thrive in a way
they never thought possible.
And so working with them, working with our former batch,
I wanna call them graduates
(20:38):
but those who come through the program,
Batch One and Batch Two,
I really haven't had an opportunity to really to meet them.
So I'll be coordinating the schedule for the next year
and I'll have the opportunity to schedule events
and meetups to really get to know them
and see where they're at and continue to feed them
the tools, the resources, the connections they need
(21:01):
to grow their businesses and continue to expand.
And so if all things go well,
we'll have all types of new startups right here
in our own backyard calling this home
and helping bring our community,
taking it to another level.
And maybe making it a multinational.
Ideally, I would love to see more outputs coming from
(21:24):
our domestic businesses.
So more of that manufacturing
and exporting of goods and services
to continue to grow our domestic economy.
So.
So what is your background?
Because I don't think we even gave that a blink of an eye.
Let's do this back.
Yeah, what is your background?
(21:45):
I have a bachelor's in business and information management.
I've always thought the data,
that's a better story telling than we do.
I know as you think we're rational beings,
but that's the last thing we are.
But if we lean into the data,
it will really tell us what we need to know
to make effective decisions to level up
(22:08):
or maybe step back if you need to step back.
I have over 10 years experience working in government
and travel and tourism,
worked in spaces of marketing and economic development.
I spent a few years in downtown Orlando,
running one of their main street programs,
formerly Church Street District.
We rebranded it to City District.
(22:31):
That now has, we were able to successfully expand
that footprint from like six city blocks
to over 600 square acres.
We were able to effectively not only rebrand it,
but expand the board and unfortunately,
all of this was during the time of the pandemic.
And so the focus was not so much.
(22:52):
When they brought me in,
it was to put downtown Orlando back on the map,
as a destination,
but the pandemic really changed,
the direction of things for us.
And my focus at that time was to try to save
as many businesses as possible.
It was just, it was a long ruling time,
helping as many businesses as I could
(23:14):
and having to be that shoulder for many
as they unfortunately had to close their doors.
But I do see that it's just an opportunity
for those who have successfully made it through
to continue to grow and thrive.
And for those that are looking to start up
downtown Orlando is a beautiful space
(23:35):
to consider to start a new venture there.
So.
Yeah.
And our tax base is not as bad as other states,
that's for sure.
So we know that you've been a participant at Startup Weekend.
At some point in time,
I feel like you're gonna wanna go,
oh, let me go be an organizer instead
(23:56):
and participate in a different level.
What are your thoughts about the impact
that Startup Weekend has in our community?
And I know you've gone to 1 million cups.
I mean, we can mention a lot of the things
that you happen involved because as you started over there
with the downtown Main Street program,
(24:17):
to me it's very similar as to what you've been experiencing
and it's always about pulling people together.
But what is the impact that you've seen so far?
We'll say 1 million cups and Startup Weekend.
Absolutely.
I think they're both great programs
to introduce people to the space of the Startup Space
(24:39):
and Innovation Space.
I participated in Startup Weekend Orlando two years in a row.
And it's not because I am a tinker, I am a thinker.
And so for me, it was an opportunity
to kind of come into a space and just see what was new
(25:00):
and what was happening in that space.
So I registered to be a suit and that is to bring in
that more business side of all things Startup
into that space.
And so I was able to effectively work with the team
and see how the organization just brought all these people
from different walks of life, all different ages,
(25:21):
from pre-teens in there with all levels of adults
and backgrounds and cultures and everyone
kind of coming together and forming these groups around
these different startup ideas that people really connected with.
I think it's a great opportunity to continue
to connect people from all walks of life.
(25:43):
Like I said, I am not a computer engineer or programmer.
And so for me going into that space,
it allowed me the opportunity to be a part of something,
bringing my knowledge and skill sets in business
and helping them on that side to bring that.
So that's everything from identifying finance,
operations, the programming, the marketing side of things,
(26:08):
all those things in business.
I'll play a major role as well in the startup community.
And so for those who have an interest that feel like
there isn't a space for them or they don't know
how they could connect, I challenge them to take
that opportunity to enroll in one of the startup weekends
and just get familiar with it.
You never know what it might inspire you to do next.
(26:29):
And the same thing with 1 million cups.
I engaged with 1 million cups,
remotely, virtually, originally,
having seen it online in some of the different presentations
through the YouTube channel that they have
and found that there were local locations
throughout the Central Florida region
and I was able to attend some personally
(26:52):
and others virtually.
And again, you get to see what people in your community
are doing, what they're wanting to bring as an offering
to help them create a business for themselves
and lean into their entrepreneurial spirit,
but at the same time, bring different types of services
and products into our community.
And to, you know, you never know what that might end up
(27:15):
becoming for someone.
And so to be able to attend a 1 million cups
and provide feedback that may help them level up
to where they need to be to really take it
to the next level is also a great sense of satisfaction
to know that you played even the smallest of roles
in helping another person survive
or thrive in their business.
(27:36):
So just so our listeners know,
I'm gonna give a little bit of background.
1 million cups is a global organization
that is held at nine o'clock in the morning,
everywhere around the world at Wednesday, nine o'clock AM,
that is people apply to come and pitch an idea.
It can be a concept or it can be a startup.
(27:57):
And they get, I think it's six minutes to pitch, right?
Is it still six?
Six minutes to pitch, I used to be an organizer,
I should know this, but you know, I'm having to check.
And then they have 18 minutes of customer feedback
or, you know, audience participation feedback
coming back to them and they'll tell them, you know,
problems, you know, more things to tighten up on
(28:19):
as well as things that they thought were really, really good.
But sometimes there's a few people in the crowd
that are even investors.
That's funded by the Kauffman Foundation, started, not funded,
but it is started by the Kauffman Foundation.
So they always look for people to participate
and then startup weekend, in case you don't know what that is,
(28:40):
it's a Techstars program, it's put on,
it is also a global organization, a program
where people can go and sign up,
just like what you were saying.
If you have a concept, you get to pitch your concept,
we have one minute pitches,
and then everybody forms teams on Friday night,
it's basically a 54-hour experience
(29:02):
where you go from concept to customer validation
to you should be able to make money.
And it's refining that.
And so you don't need the big long business plan,
it's something that is an event that helps people
to ideate quickly, learn how to pivot, and how to let go.
So all of these things are very valuable
(29:23):
if you're trying to get into a startup.
So we're gonna take a moment and acknowledge
our sponsor, Cat5 Studios, and we will be right back.
See.
The intern, Whisper, is brought to you by Cat5 Studios
to help you create games and video-share training
(29:44):
and marketing needs that are left of this world.
This is Cat5 Studios for our company, City.
All right, so we are back to the second half of our show.
And my guest today is Rose Angela Parker.
We've been talking about plug-and-play
and organization that she is with
(30:06):
that supports the ecosystem of startup life.
So you've been talking quite a bit about some of the AI
in the first half, but now we have more targeted questions.
AI is rapidly advancing and is becoming an integral part
of many industries.
How do you see AI positively impacting startups,
particularly in the realm of smart cities
(30:29):
and other innovation ecosystems?
Well, AI has presented a huge opportunity
for all small businesses to really leverage the capacity
it has to process information that help generate responses.
So I really think AI provides a great opportunity
(30:53):
for the startup community.
When you think of cost factors for any business,
a huge part of it is your workforce
and that the skill sets that they bring
and not to displace anyone,
but if you do not have the financial resources
to really bring in the team that you need,
(31:14):
early on you can use the AI tools and resources out there
in a very responsible way,
leveraging its capacity to process some of that data,
to utilize a lot of that information,
those databases that are currently out there
and available and accessible to the public,
to really provide you the information you need
(31:35):
to make informed decisions,
to really leverage it to create processes of efficiency
to help you better improve the way
your business operates and flows.
And so I think it really allows itself
to really provide just that time that you need
(31:56):
to really focus on your business
when this can so quickly do so much,
the work that it would take a person,
several days or several hours in a matter of seconds,
you can have a very rough,
I would call it a rough draft of what you need.
I always say be responsible using AI,
(32:18):
do not take the information you get just at face value.
I think it provides a great foundation
to kind of analyze and tweak and customize it
to make sure that it is in your voice
and it is what you need and that the information
that you're putting in is exactly what needs to be in there
to get the proper responses, right?
(32:40):
Because your response are only as good
as the questions you put in there.
And so and the data that you upload into it.
So be responsible in using AI,
but I really feel like it gives you an opportunity
to do so much more with your limited resources
used responsibly.
Yeah, I liked, not many people usually say this,
(33:03):
but you did mention displacing people.
And you know, the next question is always the one about,
you know, the side that we need to keep in balance.
Jeffrey Hinton is called the Godfather of AI.
He created, he's one of the founders that created AI
back in the late 50s, you know,
(33:24):
and they were all over in a university.
Somewhere in the northeastern side of our country.
I don't know if it was Harvard or where,
but as they created it,
he, they created a lot of things that we take for granted,
such as, you know, microwaves, those were created.
They created honestly flying cars.
(33:46):
They were talking about this concept back in the late 50s.
They created computers.
They've created the cell phones that we experienced.
Everything that we have has come out of places like that.
In addition to movies,
a lot of the science fiction movies that we experienced.
His concern was that if we don't put boundaries around it,
(34:08):
it can, he literally said it can take humanity down.
And it was on 60 minutes, his interview was there,
and it was October 8th for anybody who wants to go look it up
in last year, 2023.
So that is a very interesting perspective
that a person that invented it now wishes that he had not,
(34:29):
because he's looking at humanity,
and being what it is,
is it can be that we have some dangerous people out there.
They created it without the thought of like,
ooh, what could happen?
They saw one side of it, which is pretty human,
to be honest.
So how do we address the negative thoughts?
(34:53):
I watch Black Mirror, I've seen that, I'm sure you have,
but I don't think that we should stick our head in the sand.
What do you think we should be doing
to wrap our arms around it and create some card rails, if you will?
You know, that is a tough one.
It's been a Pandora's box.
That box has been opened.
(35:15):
There's a lot of that information out there.
Listen, it's happened time and time again.
We've seen technology be abused
in so many different ways.
It's tough.
It really is tough to say,
how do you put guard rails on something after it's been released?
And so, right now,
(35:37):
I really don't have an answer.
I think of when we started seeing things like the printers,
being able to print things remotely at home,
and the innovator, and you start thinking,
oh, you can print all these magnificent things
and all these great ideas.
But somewhere down the line,
someone thought it was a great idea to print,
(35:59):
you know, weapons of war and print,
you know, guns and things.
And we've seen what has happened, right?
Now, they're being used,
and they're used to do things that
that shouldn't be happening in society,
but the reality is it is.
And so, I don't know.
It's hard to say.
It's already out there.
(36:21):
How do you put rails on something
that has already been released,
and so many people have access to?
It's, I don't think you could put it back in the box.
I really don't.
I think you already have so much of that already out there
that it's, you can't,
(36:42):
I can't even say regulation, right?
Because I am a fan of both things, right?
I want to see innovation grow,
but I also know how, have witnessed how it can be used
and abused as a weapon in so many ways.
And I mean, whether it's psychologically, financially,
it's, there's just so much that can go wrong.
(37:04):
And so, I don't think you can put rails on it now.
That's my thought.
If someone has a way of doing it,
I mean, the only way I could think of is,
can someone, you know, spend time,
maybe open up a wormhole or something,
take us back several years and pull this out,
but then what does that do for where we're at?
(37:26):
Yeah, but they were starting it back in the late 50s.
So you're talking 60 something plus years.
That's just not possible.
But I feel like what they can do and they are doing
is they talk about world economic forum.
If somebody doesn't know that,
I would say they need to start there.
So world economic forum,
just Google that and you'll go to it's weform.org.
(37:49):
They've addressed having global stakeholders
to help champion responsible design and release
and about transparent and inclusive AI systems.
So they're addressing the governance side of it.
They've, I think it was at the beginning of this year.
I think it was this year, 2024.
The three big groups, Microsoft and AI, what,
(38:13):
Gen AI and two other groups had all said,
okay, we need to stop.
We need to pause and development.
And they sat at a table and they decided to have,
well, we need to have some kind of a plan.
I think that was a really responsible thing that they did.
There is now a lot more awareness
and education is happening.
(38:34):
I feel like to make sure that people know how to use it.
And it very important for us as adults
to be teaching this to children and young adults
because they just take everything go,
oh, it must be true.
It's on the internet.
No, and a lot of grownups do that too.
So you touched on it, you said it.
It's, you know, make sure that you're using it responsibly
(38:56):
that you know it's a giant Google search
and you get it in seconds
instead of having to read through it yourself.
The good and the bad is all out there.
You can't believe it's accurate, not yet.
Yeah, it's it's it's very difficult.
I mean, I I know that we want to think, oh, AI,
it's it's this intelligent being.
(39:17):
But the reality is it's it's just a combination of everything.
We know everything we know is accurate.
So it's all you think of all the possibilities.
I think of, OK, if if AI, if open AI,
whatever source of AI, if they're just feeding it
(39:39):
the internet of things, right?
I'm like, there is so much misinformation out there
that all you're doing is providing all this, you know,
confusion into this, you know, calculator.
That's just going to, you know, add and subtract
and do all these things and then spit out an answer.
And it's like, how much truth is there to that?
(40:01):
How accurate it is.
So it is the outcome is no better than the input.
And at this point, if the input is all things
that are out there on the internet,
I don't lean so much into believing all that now.
If the source is and even then we've seen it,
I know I have, you know, the published some published papers
(40:23):
are now being redacted and pulled back
because the information that was published was manipulated
or erroneous in some way.
And so it's like, if you if you just feed it all things
that are published papers, how much accuracy incorrect.
So there's just, I just say it's a tool.
It has the capabilities of doing some amazing things.
(40:45):
I say just use it responsibly and don't lean on it
for accuracy.
You provide it and provide the calculation,
the question that you need answered.
I think you have a lot more control of that output.
But if you're just leaning into a question
and just throwing it out there and asking it
(41:07):
to reach into the void and give you an answer,
I think you're gonna find yourself very challenged
to find the best answer for your question.
You know, I just did a little search
who is responsible for AI governance.
And it said there's currently no comprehensive legislation
in the US that directly, US, our country.
(41:28):
Correct.
That lets AI, however, the White House executive order
on AI and proposed legislation at the federal,
and state level generally seeks to address
the following issues, safety and security,
obviously something that we should all be concerned.
I know as I had mentioned earlier
that World Economic Forum is doing a unified poll
(41:53):
to bring a lot of global leaders together to address this.
And I find that that's a good thing.
We need to have something like that happening.
But it's really, every time we have something
that's been a major shift in technology
always has concerns as well as pluses, well,
(42:17):
concerns in your pluses.
With that said, we have to make sure
that each time we launch anything,
whether it's a new iPhone or it's a drug or it's technology,
what are we doing to make sure safety,
just like what I read about,
what is it safety and security is in place?
(42:39):
Yeah, absolutely.
So coming over here next question,
as someone who works closely with entrepreneurs
and investors, how do you approach balancing
the innovation, innovative potential of AI
with the need for transparency and ethical safeguards?
I think we just pretty much answered that one.
I think so, I really do.
(43:00):
I think a big part of it, like I said,
it's a matter of, I definitely say awareness
is empowering, you need to know what's out there.
And, but I also know that you also need
to use it responsibly.
I don't think, like you said earlier,
putting your head in the sand is going to make it go away.
And it's not going to get you any closer to your goal.
(43:22):
It may actually set you further from your goal
as others adopt these new technologies.
But at the same time, do it responsibly.
So do it with your eyes wide open,
know what you're looking at and make informed decisions,
not just hypotheticals,
but really look at the data and let that guide your decision.
It's been as nice.
(43:43):
So what is the best mentoring advice
that you would want to pass,
I think it's just honestly the last thing you said too,
but I don't want to take that for granted.
What is the best mentoring advice
that you want to share with our listeners
about the future?
Because nobody saw COVID coming.
Nobody saw AI.
Nobody sees these things.
(44:04):
It's just like, oh, it hit you in the face, right?
Exactly.
So I sit here and I go,
well, what is the next thing that I think I can see?
I have things that I see and I have concerns about,
and I'm sure other people do,
but what is it that you think
is the best advice that you would pass on?
I definitely feel it's important to keep an open mind.
(44:28):
And look at the possibilities.
It's better to be aware and make informed decisions
than not to inform yourself
and allow others to form your basis of response.
So really understand that there's information coming to us
(44:49):
from all different angles.
And so being able to do a little research,
try things out for yourself,
find your comfort level and make an informed decision
based on that.
It really makes a huge difference when you know firsthand
than taking secondhand information and basing it on that,
unless that secondhand information comes validated, right?
(45:12):
With actual reliable sources of information,
not because you heard it on the internet,
not because someone mentioned it in the news,
but really, you know, doing some research,
reading some of this information,
trying some of these things out
and see what works for you and what doesn't.
But at least you're making an informed decision
based on your own personal assessment
(45:34):
and not allowing others to dictate
what isn't in your best interest.
It applies, yeah.
It's very concise and has real direction.
I really appreciate that.
So how can our listeners reach out and find you?
(45:55):
I put the Plug and Play website on here
and your LinkedIn profile,
but I don't know if there's anything else
you want me to include.
No, absolutely.
We do have a landing page on Plug and Play Tech Center's website
specifically for Orlando,
but you can always find me also on LinkedIn
under Rosandela Parker.
(46:16):
We do have in a plug and play LinkedIn presence
and several of the verticals each have their own specific
landing page within LinkedIn.
So if you're specifically interested in Smart Cities,
be sure to follow the Smart Cities landing page.
And that is encompassing all the Smart City locations
(46:39):
across the US.
There's probably about a handful of them now.
We do expect to see more of those, you know,
happening up within the next year or two.
So keep that in mind.
But if you have interest in other areas,
we do have specific pages for different areas
like mobility or like the tech.
So keep looking at what's available out there.
(47:01):
There are every year, I know for us in Orlando specifically,
we do, we put two batches through the system every year.
And that allows us to help, you know,
between 20 to 40 new startups in their startup phase
come through the program.
And so I'll expect to have that many more now coming through
(47:24):
in 2025.
And each one brings just a variety of innovative, you know,
thought processes and techniques and creative talent
into that sphere.
So if you're interested in being a part of that,
one of the things I'm tasked to do is recruit mentors
to help our startups.
(47:45):
And so if you're interested in being a mentor,
if you bring experience and expertise,
whether from the startup side or from some area of industry,
and you want to be a part of that,
of these entrepreneurs journeys, feel free to reach out.
Again, you can reach out to me directly
through Rosangela Parker and LinkedIn,
(48:06):
or you can reach out to me at rparker, r.parker
at pmptc.com.
Well, I'm gonna thank you so much for being a guest
on the show.
I, you know, there was a couple of things you said,
and I know it's taking one step back,
but mobility and something else that you said.
So how do you guys?
Sustainability, energy.
(48:27):
Yeah, and investors who may not know,
how do you all define mobility and deep tech?
Mobility, all things, all things mobility.
You're talking, you know, transportation.
That's cell phones, mobile phones, is that correct?
Well, that's part of those are part of the,
the detect, deep tech space as well.
Right, when you look in at the software developments
(48:49):
and things like that, but in the mobility space,
I think we've had a few that have been either working,
you're looking at autonomous vehicles, right?
You're looking at sensors that help power these things.
So that's a combination of the tech,
deep tech as well as mobility.
So those things that you think can influence or work
in any of those spaces, that's, that's what we look at.
I think they're, they're pretty broad, deep tech kind of
(49:12):
branched in out of the internet of things.
As you know how broad that is, you know, with SaaS
and everything else that's in there.
So I would say if you have any, any business, you know,
innovation that you want to bring to the table,
we definitely have a venture's arm that would be
probably more than happy to kind of get to know,
get to know you a little bit and get to understand
(49:35):
your area of business.
And if one of our verticals would be a good fit,
then they might just, you know, if you're interested,
connect you with those resources to see if there might
be an opportunity to help you bring that to that next,
bring it into the program and take it to the next level.
So there's always an opportunity, I would say.
What I've noticed too is I usually like to move things
(49:59):
around and so an innovation that you might think
would be perfect for mobility might also be very well
adapted into, let's say, the health space.
And so there's always an opportunity to look at it
from a different perspective, you know,
look at the different verticals that are there and say,
hey, can my innovation have an impact in any of these areas
(50:21):
and is that a pivot worth taking?
So keep that in mind, you just never know.
Well, I want to thank you so much for being against
on the show.
Congratulations again.
Take lots of pictures when you go out there.
I'd love to see like the inside of plug and plug.
And I hope it's like, I don't know how many days
are you gonna be there?
I'll be there for three days.
(50:43):
Yeah.
Okay, it's gonna be intense then.
Yeah.
Yeah, I'm excited.
I'm very excited.
I'm very, I've been very lucky.
I've got an awesome team that I'm working with,
boots on the ground here and I've met several people
from my headquarters, so I can't wait to meet them in person.
And they're doing amazing work and everyone seems
just so happy and satisfied with the work that they're doing
(51:07):
and the impact that they're having
and I'm just so glad to be a part of it.
I am happy for you also.
Will you take care and thank you again?
Thank you, thank you.
Good to see you.
(51:30):
So I wanna thank you for being our listeners.
Thank you to our sponsor, Cat5studios
and thank you to our video and production and editing team.
Music is by Sophie Lloyd.
The interim whispers brought to you by employers for change,
helping hiring teams recruit and upskill interns to employees
through mission, values, beliefs and course skills.
(51:51):
Learn more at www.e4c.tech.
Subscribe to the interim whisper today
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Tagging a friend and leaving us comments.
You can find the interim whisper podcast on employers for change
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