By Celia Goodyear
To innovate is simply to make changes to something established by introducing new inventions, solutions or ideas. Innovation may seem like a distant concept, but it is closer than one might imagine, especially in Greater Gainesville.
Several local businesses have bridged the gap and are focused on innovating and creating new, meaningful ways to connect people with the technology that can serve them best.
Infotech, https://www.infotechinc.com/
Infotech is a Gainesville company, founded more than 40 years ago. It joins innovation and integrity by developing cutting-edge digital solutions for the construction industry and providing consulting services across multiple industries.
Its mission is to set the standard for how a company should treat people and then continuously raise that bar. Infotech celebrates diversity, creativity and individuality. The company also invests in people and focuses on treating them right, building long-lasting, authentic relationships.
Fracture, https://fractureme.com/.
Based in Alachua, Fracture was created to help people share their stories and memories by taking printed pictures to a new level. Rather than traditional prints, Fracture puts its customers’ images directly onto glass.
This gives consumers affordable, beautiful and sustainable options to preserve their photos and display their treasured moments in their homes. Fracture is also a carbon-neutral company, constantly looking for innovative ways to protect the planet from the impact of waste and disposable plastics.
BYPPO, https://www.byppo.com/
BYPPO is an app created to make food delivery easier and more accessible to everyone, as well as support local businesses and make a positive impact in the community.
Gainesville resident Victoria Liu founded BYPPO and launched its first version in 2019. The service now has a following of more than 20,000. Through this service, people can get paid to eat and vendors can increase the traffic to their restaurants.
BYPPO is available in the Google Play and Apple app stores.
Optimal Station, https://www.optimalstation.com
Optimal Station is a local company that produces creative marketing experiences and customized quality vending machines for retail companies and organizations. It was founded by Michele Lee and Teddy Sanchez to provide a personal customized experience for the automated retail industry. Its mission is to help entrepreneurs, businesses and brands achieve success by providing innovative custom solutions.
The company also values integrity, fairness, balance, empowerment, exceeding expectations, innovation, constant improvement, creativity, fun and philanthropy.
Satlantis, https://satlantis.com/
Satlantis, an international company with its United States office located at the UF campus in Gainesville, deals with space technology for the observation of Earth and exploration of space.
This innovative company focuses on the language of light, translating it for customers’ needs and capturing critical spectral information for remote sensing applications. This ability allows Satlantis to provide reliable, integrated satellite solutions for its global client base.
RTI Surgical, https://www.rtix.com/en_us
RTI Surgical is a global manufacturer that develops and delivers restorative solutions to physicians and their patients. It has offices in Alachua, as well as Greenville, North Carolina and Germany. Its Alachua facility processes material that can be used in different types of surgeries, including reconstructive ones.
Sharklet, https://www.sharklet.com/
Sharklet Technology, Inc.’s mission is to invent and develop non-toxic patterns and organisms to improve human health. The technology to do that was discovered by Dr. Anthony Brennan at the University of Florida.
These companies are just a few examples of innovations born in Greater Gainesville, proving that one does not have to travel far to find the groundbreaking ideas and technological advancements of the future.