The land of recreation and Healthcare Innovation

Renowned for its collaborative and entrepreneurial environment anchored in state-of-the-art educational and research facilities, Orlando’s life sciences industry is home to groundbreaking medical advances that combat our most pressing health issues.

Anchored by large health systems AdventHealth and Orlando Health, both headquartered in Orlando, an ecosystem of healthcare research and innovation is thriving in the region.

With Florida’s 23 million residents and Orlando’s 75 million annual visitors, the region offers a large, diverse patient population, driving demand for specialized care and patient management.

4 of the 60 Largest U.S. Hospitals (by Number of Beds) within a 2-Hour Drive

Becker’s Hospital Review, 2024
2 Largest Health Systems in the U.S. Headquartered in Orlando

AdventHealth & Orlando Health—Providing Birth to Death Care
257,500+ Employed in the Life Sciences and Healthcare Sector

In Central Florida (7-County Region),
Lightcast (QCEW), Q1 2025 Data Set

Connect with an Expert

Casey Evans

Vice President, Economic Development

407.902.2411

Known for the companIes we keep

Featured Life Sciences & Healthcare Companies

Orlando is the innovation hub of choice for leading life sciences companies in Florida. From digital health and healthcare simulation to sports and wellness, research and development efforts across Orlando’s life sciences industry is straight out of Tomorrowland.

Advent Health — AdventHealth

AdventHealth is a faith-based, non-profit health care system headquartered in Altamonte Springs, Florida, that operates facilities within nine states and…

CVS Caremark

CVS caremark is a pharmacy benefits manager owned by CVS Health.

HCA Healthcare

HCA Healthcare is an American for-profit operator of health care facilities that was founded in 1968.

Kroger Specialty Pharmacy

Kroger Specialty Pharmacy is a nationwide clinical pharmacy dedicated to serving patients with chronic illnesses requiring complex care.

Nemours Children’s Health System

Nemours Children’s is one of the largest integrated pediatric health systems in the country.

Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a private, not-for-profit network of community and specialty hospitals.

Rotech Healthcare

Headquartered in Orlando, Rotech helps patients manage treatment at home by providing a comprehensive offering of home medical equipment and…

Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy

Walgreens is a U.S. pharmacy store chain.

“There may be no other place in the world like Orlando when it comes to life sciences, biotechnology and healthcare. There is a tremendous convergence of opportunities due to our community’s imagination…”

– Lars Houmann

COO, AdventHealth

It’s a Smart world After All

Healthcare companies in Orlando draw upon a strong pipeline of talent at several area universities offering degree programs in various disciplines of the life sciences.

https://www.ahu.edu/

AdventHealth University

AdventHealth University’s connection to AdventHealth ensures students get a participatory experience and direct contact with real patients, nurses and physicians.

Departments of Nursing, Healthcare Administration, Biomedical Sciences & Technology, and more

https://daytonabeach.erau.edu/college-arts-sciences/human-factors

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

This department helps students understand the interactions of humans with other elements of a system.

Department of Human Factors and Behavioral Neurobiology

https://www.fullsail.edu/degrees/simulation-and-visualization-bachelor

Full Sail University

Full Sail’s Simulation & Visualization bachelor’s program provides hands-on training in programming and critical thinking to design virtual systems.

B.S. in Simulation & Visualization

https://www.keiser-education.com/locations/orlando

Keiser University

Keiser University has been providing quality hands-on education in the health care field since 1977.

Health Care Degrees

https://www.lssc.edu/hsca/

Lake-Sumter State College

An accelerated academic program the explores careers in the STEM and health sciences through hands-on activities and early exposure to college courses.

Health Sciences Collegiate Academy

https://www.rollins.edu/professional-advancement/healthcare-management/

Rollins College

Rollins’s degree combines the managerial expertise from a business program with the service mentality critical to the healthcare sector..

Bachelor’s in Healthcare Management

https://www.seminolestate.edu/healthcare/degrees-programs

Seminole State College of Florida

Seminole State College is poised to meet the scientific challenges of the 21st century with its new, state-of-the-art biology labs and small class sizes.

Healthcare Degrees and Programs

https://www.ucf.edu/healthcare/

University of Central Florida

UCF’s innovative program uses high-tech learning tools to educate young doctors and scientists in a new and better way for the 21st century.

College of Medicine, College of Nursing and College of Health Professions and Sciences

https://lakenona.ufhealth.org/

University of Florida

The UF Research and Academic Center at Lake Nona is an 110,000 square foot LEED platinum certified building carrying out basic, clinical and translational research in drug discovery and development.

Research & Academic Center in Lake Nona

https://valenciacollege.edu/academics/programs/health-sciences/index.php

Valencia College

Programs include Health Information Technology, Cardiovascular Technology, Radiography, and more.

Health Sciences & Pre-Med programs

AdventHealth Nicholson Center
The AdventHealth Nicholson Center, one of the largest and most experienced medical learning and simulation incubation centers, has trained more than 50,000 physicians on leading-edge clinical and surgical techniques.

Orlando Health UF Health Cancer Center
The Orlando Health UF Health Cancer Center was recognized as a state-designated Cancer Center of Excellence by the Florida Department of Health.

UCF Lake Nona Cancer Center
UCF Lake Nona Cancer Center is a one-stop research and treatment center housing cancer researchers, clinical trials and treatment for patients.

University of Florida (UF) Research and Academic Center
The UF Research and Academic Center at Lake Nona is an 110,000 square foot LEED platinum certified building carrying out basic, clinical and translational research in drug discovery and development.

Orlando VA Medical Center
Orlando VA Medical Center is a general medicine and surgery teaching hospital that provides a full range of health services for veterans, with state-of-the-art technology as well as education and research.

HOME to recreation and Research & Development

Some people think we’re just a tourist town. Meanwhile, life sciences companies in Orlando are busy leading the nation in advanced medical research at nationally ranked R&D and innovation facilities.

on the forefront of Sports & Wellness

A growing sports and wellness innovation district lures top life science and healthcare companies to Orlando to work alongside sports science and athletic and personal performance researchers.

Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute
The Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute’s $18 million global headquarters houses a multidisciplinary training center that serves as a global research and development hub.

United States Tennis Association’s “New Home of American Tennis”
The United States Tennis Association’s “New Home of American Tennis” is the largest and most technologically advanced performance-improvement center of its kind in the U.S.

National Training Center
The state-of-the-art sports and fitness facility in Clermont, Florida is a warm-weather training destination for hundreds of high school, collegiate, professional and amateur athletes from around the country and the world.

UCF Institute of Exercise Physiology and Rehabilitation Science
The institute includes more than 16,000 square feet of facilities with numerous basic, applied clinical, and community research laboratories.

Veterans Health Administration’s SimLEARN
VHA’s SimLEARN creates data-driven simulations to train health providers serving the world’s largest integrated healthcare system.

HOME to INNOVATION and Digital Health

Orlando’s cutting-edge healthcare cluster is defining the future of digital health.

Read more

Major Developments

It’s more than fun and games–there’s serious research and development happening here. From pharmaceuticals and biotechnology to digital health and medical technology, Orlando’s cluster of innovation assets are the primary reason we’re a leading location for life sciences companies in Florida and the nation.

AdventHealth Village
AdventHealth’s Health Village is a 172-acre mixed-use transit-oriented development complete with housing and rail, life science research centers, a hospital cluster and an upcoming hub of growing new companies.

Lake Nona
Home to KPMG’s global training center, USTA’s National Campus and Johnson & Johnson’s Human Performance Institute, Lake Nona is a premier destination for human performance and wellness-driven technology companies.

An Ecosystem of Support & Innovation

Orlando Health committed $20 million for innovation under its venture fund. Plus, a consortium of universities and private investment called IQ Florida provides focused resources including capital.

https://www.bioflorida.com/

BioFlorida

BioFlorida is the voice of Florida’s life sciences industry, representing 8,600 establishments and research organizations in the biopharmaceuticals, medical technology, health IT and bio agriculture sectors.

https://guidewellinnovation.com/

GuideWell Innovation Center

GuideWell Innovation Center is home to a diverse community of startups and scaleups, and provides programs to serve health and wellness innovators.

https://centralnorthflorida.himss.org/

HIMSS Central Florida & North Florida chapters

HIMSS Central Florida & North Florida chapters represent healthcare professionals in over 50 counties in Florida.

https://www.nationalec.org/

National Entrepreneur Center

The NEC provides comprehensive business assistance and educational programs to help small businesses achieve their goals.

https://www.orlandohealth.com/campaigns/strategic-innovations/ventures

Orlando Health Ventures

Strategically invests in early stage companies and technologies transforming and disrupting the healthcare industry.

https://incubator.ucf.edu/lake-nona-life-sciences-incubator/

UCF Lake Nona Life Sciences Incubator

The Life Sciences Incubator provides a fully equipped, Biosafety Level II wet lab facility to grow and accelerate life science innovation in Central Florida.

Orlando. Unbelievably real.

Other Focus Areas

Download Sector Brief

https://business.orlando.org/l/biotechnology-pharmaceuticals/

Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals

The region offers a large, diverse patient population, essential for specialty pharmaceutical companies to thrive.

https://business.orlando.org/l/medical-technology/

Medical Technology

Fast-growing medical device companies and global players have set up shop in Orlando because of its recognized medical device training expertise.

https://business.orlando.org/l/simulation/

Simulation

The birthplace of the experience economy.

Connect with a Subject Matter Expert

Get in touch with Casey Evans, Vice President of Economic Development, for additional information including customized talent data and tailored space recommendations.

Call today: 407.902.2411

Get the Life Sciences & Healthcare Brief

Download an overview of Orlando’s life sciences and healthcare sector.

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The land of recreation and Healthcare Innovation

4 of the 60 Largest U.S. Hospitals (by Number of Beds) within a 2-Hour Drive

2 Largest Health Systems in the U.S. Headquartered in Orlando

257,500+ Employed in the Life Sciences and Healthcare Sector