{"id":378225,"date":"2026-08-22T09:22:44","date_gmt":"2026-08-22T09:22:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/378225\/"},"modified":"2026-08-22T09:22:44","modified_gmt":"2026-08-22T09:22:44","slug":"the-orlando-regional-perspective-august-21-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/378225\/","title":{"rendered":"The Orlando Regional Perspective | August 21, 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome to this week\u2019s\u00a0Regional Perspective,\u00a0where I share stories that bring the\u00a0Orlando 2045 Vision<\/a> to life and highlight the progress shaping our region\u2019s future.<\/p>\n

1) Key takeaways from the Orange County primary \u2013 The August primary election has set the stage for several key local races heading into the November general election. The Orange County mayoral race will continue as Chris Messina and Tiffany Moore Russell advance to a November runoff. Moore Russell received 32% of the vote, followed by Messina with 26%. Orange County Commission races in Districts 2, 4, 6, 7 and 8 also will be decided in November. In the Orange County School Board Chair race, Angie Gallo emerged as the winner. With several key local races still to be decided, the November election will be an important one for Orange County and the entire region. See more information on the results here:\u00a0Key races and voting info for Aug. 18 \u2013 WFTV<\/a><\/p>\n

2) Belgian semiconductor company selects Osceola County \u2013 Central Florida\u2019s semiconductor ecosystem scored another major win this week as Magics Technologies, a Belgium-based semiconductor company specializing in radiation-hardened and fault-tolerant microelectronics, announced it will establish its first U.S. headquarters in Osceola County. The company selected the Orlando region for its strong semiconductor infrastructure, highly skilled workforce, research partnerships, and proximity to space, defense, and nuclear industry customers. Located alongside innovation assets such as NeoCity, BRIDG, imec USA, and UCF, Magics\u2019 investment further strengthens the region\u2019s position as a growing hub for advanced manufacturing and semiconductor innovation while bringing high-wage jobs and supporting the continued growth of Florida\u2019s space and defense economy. Thank you to our partners, Osceola County, Florida High Tech Corridor and the National Science Foundation\u2019s Florida Semiconductor Engine for helping make this project possible. Read more<\/a>.<\/p>\n

3) How KPMG is shaping the future of business services \u2013 This week on The City Playbook, I sit down with Isaac Juarez, Office Managing Partner at KPMG, to discuss why KPMG selected Orlando as the home of its world-class training and innovation facility. Juarez shares how the Lakehouse reflects KPMG\u2019s long-term commitment to the region, highlighting Orlando\u2019s talent pipeline, business environment, and quality of life. He also explores how KPMG continues to embrace innovation, leveraging new technologies and fresh ideas to drive growth, enhance client service, and shape the future of the firm. Be sure to like, share and subscribe<\/a> to The City Playbook podcast. Watch or listen to the latest episode<\/a>.<\/p>\n

4) Fueling innovation through the Orlando Tech Grant \u2013 The City of Orlando and the Orlando Economic Partnership (OEP) are once again partnering to offer the Orlando Technology Community Support Program to help organizations and companies develop tech-focused events that unite the local tech workforce and community. There are two funding opportunities available: Ignite Grants, ranging from $1,500 to $3,000, that support grassroots ecosystem-building efforts such as meetups, mentorship programs, hackathons, networking events, and community-led technology initiatives and capability Catalyst Grants, ranging from $8,000 to $15,000, to support larger initiatives. Examples include a 12-week XR developer accelerator, two-day physics-based simulation demonstration, and digital twin pilot projects. You can learn more or apply here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

5) A national spotlight on Central Florida innovation \u2013 Central Florida\u2019s entrepreneurial ecosystem continues to earn national recognition. The UCF Business Incubation Program ranks as the top business incubator in Florida and No. 17 nationally on Time\u2019s inaugural America\u2019s Best Incubators & Accelerators 2026 list. After helping create thousands of jobs, attract significant investment, and generate hundreds of millions of dollars in economic impact, the program\u2019s success underscores the strength of our region\u2019s innovation economy and the critical role entrepreneurship plays in driving long-term growth and opportunity. Read more<\/a>.<\/p>\n

6) Policy in Progress: Understanding the property tax reform \u2013 Join the Orlando Economic Partnership on October 2 at the Mayor William Beardall Senior Center for the next Policy in Progress Series \u2013 On The Ballot: Property Tax Reform. This timely discussion will explore one of Florida\u2019s most important policy issues, including the proposed constitutional amendment on the November 2026 ballot to increase the state\u2019s homestead property tax exemption. Attendees will hear from keynote speaker former State Senator Jeff Brandes, who will provide valuable insight into the proposal and its potential impacts, followed by a panel of experts offering diverse perspectives on the issue. Whether you\u2019re a business leader, community stakeholder, or engaged resident, this is an opportunity to better understand the policy changes that could shape Florida\u2019s future. Register today to be part of the conversation<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Programs & Events<\/p>\n

Leadership Orlando Alumni Association \u2013 Stay connected, continue leading, and help shape what\u2019s next for our region \/\/ LEARN MORE & JOIN<\/a><\/p>\n

2026 Executive Leadership Mission to Austin, presented by Travel + Leisure \u2013 Sept. 23-25\u00a0\/\/ REGISTER BEFORE AUG. 31<\/a><\/p>\n

ICYMI<\/p>\n

Relativity Networks raises $22 million to bring a faster kind of fiber to data<\/a> \u00a0\u2013 TechCrunch<\/p>\n

Global tech company expands Lake Mary HQ with 470 new jobs<\/a> \u2013 Orlando Business Journal<\/p>\n

Orlando tech company lands NASA contracts worth up to $40B<\/a> \u2013 Orlando Business Journal<\/p>\n

UCF program expands push to attract international companies to Central Florida<\/a> \u2013 Orlando Business Journal<\/p>\n

Allegiant adds flights out of Orlando, Sanford airports with Boston, Cincinnati among destinations<\/a> \u2013 Orlando Business Journal<\/p>\n

UCF bets on $90M stadium tower to drive events, premium seating and exposure<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 Orlando Business Journal<\/p>\n

Lake County School Board taps Chad Farnsworth to be next superintendent<\/a> \u2013 Orlando Sentinel<\/p>\n

The Jobless Boom Has Arrived<\/a> \u2013 The Wall Street Journal<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Welcome to this week\u2019s\u00a0Regional Perspective,\u00a0where I share stories that bring the\u00a0Orlando 2045 Vision to life and highlight the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":129656,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[139,141,140],"class_list":["post-378225","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-orlando","tag-orlando","tag-orlando-headlines","tag-orlando-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/378225","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=378225"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/378225\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/129656"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=378225"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=378225"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=378225"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}