Kissimmee's brand new high-tech manufacturing facility is almost ready to open. This multi million dollar project is meant to bridge the gap between university research and the world of technology.

  • BRIDG facility ribbon cutting April 13
  • Facility to manufacture smart sensors, photonics devices
  • Work with other companies to fill gaps in multiple fields

It may look like a typical warehouse, but if you peak inside, it’s so much more.

“We've got the electrical capacity of about 15 mgs, that’s enough to run 18,000 homes,” said Pete Pace, the construction/asset management director for Osceola County.

He’s talking about Osceola County’s high-tech center, located off of Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway in Kissimmee. The facility is being run by “BRIDG," which stands for "Bridging the Innovation Development Gap."

BRIDG is the new name this non-profit research organization recently acquired, as it used to go by the name “ICAMR,” International Consortium for Advanced Manufacturing Research.

This $75 million building sits on 500 acres of property referred to colloquially as "Neo City." The goal is to attract companies coming up with new applications and new electronic concepts that involve smart sensors.

“There’s nothing like this in Florida,” Pace said.

Crews worked on the last minute touches of a space that will include offices, storage for tools that will help create this technology, and two clean rooms. Pace said the center’s uniqueness gives them a great advantage on the marketplace.

“One of the interesting things about this facility is there’s a floor where all the tools sit on inside, it’s called a waffle vac. And it’s only one of three of its kind in the United States,” Pace explained. “And it provides lots of opportunities to bring very specific tools here to use that you might not be able to bring to another facility.”

While the facility is not finished yet, it has already started hiring employees. In fact, in the next decade they project to bring in 5,000 jobs here to Neo City.

“So my vision for this is that in 10 years, when you come back, that this is recognized as one of the coolest type technology locations on the planet and that the people that are working here are excited and motivated to come to work every day,” Chester Kennedy, the CEO of BRIDG said.

Employees will start moving into the facility within the next two weeks. There will be an official ribbon cutting event on April 13, in which the new name of the building will be unveiled.