Business
Lake Nona Partners with leAD Sports to Create First-Of-Its-Kind Accelerator in The United States
Orlando, Fla. – Lake Nona, the award-winning, master-planned community in Orlando, Florida – one of America’s fastest-growing regions – announced today a partnership with leAD Sports, the premier sports venture ecosystem inspired by Adi Dassler, to create a new, cutting-edge accelerator designed to bolster technology start-up companies in Central Florida. This partnership marks the first time the Berlin-based leAD Sports will host an accelerator in the United States.
Known as the leAD Lake Nona Sports & Health Tech Accelerator, the accelerator will focus on “future of living” solutions covering three verticals: sports and health tech, smart cities, and the future of nutrition. The accelerator will allow a group of carefully-selected start-ups to take advantage of Lake Nona’s exclusive Verizon 5G broadband capacity enabling participants to test innovative solutions and support their 5G-powered businesses.
Juan Santos, Senior Vice President of Innovation at Tavistock, the Lake Nona developer
“We’re extremely excited to welcome leAD as a partner and create this one-of-kind environment that supports and enables innovators,“ said Juan Santos, Senior Vice President of Innovation at Tavistock, the Lake Nona developer. “Lake Nona has always been a place where ideas are imagined and tested. This new facility for tech start-ups featuring 5G technology within our existing wellbeing community creates a perfect ecosystem for the next great breakthrough that will transform how we live.”
Designed to attract the most promising early-stage tech start-ups from around the world, the leAD Lake Nona Sports & Health Tech Accelerator will drive growth for entrepreneurs through smart investment and expert mentorship in a complete environment that will allow participants to conceive, test, and implement their ideas during a six-month program.
Start-ups or entrepreneurs interested in joining the accelerator can click here for more information about the program. Applications are being accepted now by clicking here through April 30, 2020 and the program is scheduled to begin this summer. Each participant accepted to the program will receive a $75,000 pre-seed investment with 8% equity backed by the unique combination of leAD’s vast experience in seed investing and start-up programs, Tavistock’s investment legacy, and Lake Nona’s smart city landscape.
Christoph Sonnen, Co-Founder and CEO at leAD, Partner at ADvantage Sports Tech Fund
“Pioneers in using technology to create and promote a healthy lifestyle – obviously with sports playing a crucial role – Lake Nona couldn’t be a more perfect partner for our program expansion in the U.S.,” said Christoph Sonnen, Co-Founder and CEO at leAD, Partner at ADvantage Sports Tech Fund. “For us, it’s all about looking at the athlete – amateur, professional – on and off the court, with smart, forward-thinking solutions. We’re extremely excited to work together to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs that will shape how we live in the future.”
Entry to the accelerator will provide selected startups with accommodations, mentoring sessions, networking opportunities, and several investor pitch days. The accelerator will feature an onsite network of experts and mentors, exposure to strategic partners, counsel from venture capitalists and professional investors, and support in key areas including legal, intellectual property, and accounting to ensure entrepreneurs can successfully bring their ideas to market.
The leAD Lake Nona accelerator will be located within the new 16,000-square-foot Pixon MS2 innovation space that is currently under construction on the ground floor of the Pixon Apartment building. The Pixon MS2 space will provide a variety of different programs and resources to support tech start-ups in addition to being home of the leAD Lake Nona accelerator.
The new accelerator program is the latest example of Lake Nona’s commitment to cultivate innovation. As a wellness community home to Medical City, the U.S. Tennis Association National Campus, and Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute, Lake Nona’s established health and sports background provides an ideal setting for the accelerator to help entrepreneurs test their ideas in a real-life environment. Following the six-month program, burgeoning companies can stay local to take advantage of Lake Nona’s living lab and all of Central Florida’s entrepreneurial resources designed to support their growing businesses.
For more information, visit www.leadsports.com/lake-nona-accelerator.
Florida National News and FNN News en Español will provide on-site coverage of the Hispanic Heritage Month celebration at Cranes Roost Park.
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. (FNN) — Hola at the Park will bring Hispanic culture, local businesses and live entertainment to Cranes Roost Park on Saturday, Oct. 3, from 2 to 6 p.m.
Hosted by the Hispanic Chamber of Metro Orlando and presented by AdventHealth, the event celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month through food, entertainment, entrepreneurship and community connections.
According to the chamber’s event announcement, admission is free, the celebration is open to the community and no registration is required.
FNN to Spotlight Businesses and Community Voices
Florida National News and FNN News en Español, official media sponsors, will be on location covering the festivities.
The FNN team will spotlight chamber representatives, sponsors, participating businesses and community leaders, while sharing attendees’ perspectives throughout the afternoon.
Coverage will highlight the people, businesses and cultural traditions contributing to the celebration.
Photo: Florida National News
Food, Entertainment and Family Activities
The chamber’s announcement lists authentic cuisine, live entertainment, local businesses, wellness experiences, community resources, networking and family-friendly activities among the event’s offerings.
Attendees will have opportunities to explore Hispanic traditions, connect with entrepreneurs and learn about organizations serving Central Florida.
Photo: Florida National News
A Waterfront Setting in Uptown Altamonte
Cranes Roost Park, located in Uptown Altamonte, features a waterfront setting with scenic walkways around Cranes Roost Lake and the Eddie Rose Amphitheater and floating stage.
The park will serve as the gathering place for an afternoon celebrating Hispanic heritage and the connections between culture, business and community.
Event Details
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026
- Time: 2–6 p.m. EDT
- Location: Cranes Roost Park, Altamonte Springs
- Host: Hispanic Chamber of Metro Orlando
- Presenting sponsor: AdventHealth
- Admission: Free and open to the community
- Registration: Not required
Photo: Florida National News
Vendor Inquiries
For information about vendor opportunities, contact the Hispanic Chamber of Metro Orlando at info@hispanicchamber.com or events@hispanicchamber.com.
The refrigerated lineup includes five single-serve dishes and two family-size meals.
BATAVIA, Ill. (FNN) — ALDI will begin rolling out seven ready-made meals in select stores in early October, with single-serve dishes priced under $8 and family-size options under $15. The grocer expects the full lineup to be available nationwide by January 2027.
The collection includes five single-serve meals: beef Bolognese spaghetti, beef brisket with white mac and cheese, butter chicken and rice, a chicken burrito bowl, and chicken fettuccine Alfredo. The two family-size dishes are chicken and bacon mac and cheese and a meat lovers pizza bake.
“Our shoppers are looking for meals that fit into busy lives,” said Joan Kavanaugh, vice president of national buying for ALDI U.S. She said the company developed the lineup with shoppers’ budgets and demand for convenient meals in mind.
Price and preparation
ALDI said the single-serve meals contain 30 to 46 grams of protein each. The family-size dishes contain 16 to 22 grams per serving. The company announced price limits for the two sizes but did not list a price for each individual meal.
“We tested hundreds of recipes as we developed this collection,” said Terry Jackson, head of food at Kitchen Food Company, ALDI’s supplier for the meals. Jackson said the team focused on flavor and ingredients while developing the dishes.
The meals are refrigerated, not frozen. ALDI says the single-serve dishes can be heated in a microwave, while the family-size meals are prepared in an oven. Shoppers should follow the directions on each package.
2026 Hispanic Chamber Hola at the Park. Uptown Altamonte Springs, Florida at beautiful Cranes Roost Park Saturday, October 3, 2026 (2:00 PM – 6:00 PM) (EDT)
When and where to find them
The meals will be stocked in the refrigerated meals section near the front of ALDI stores. Availability will vary during the rollout, which begins in select markets in early October and expands through the fall. ALDI also plans to offer additional meals through its limited-time ALDI Finds assortment each month over the following year. corporate.aldi.us
Business
Addition Financial, Rosen Preschools Partner to Expand Financial Literacy for Central Florida Children
Now in its fourth year, ADDing FUNdamentals introduces children as young as 4 to saving, needs versus wants and other basic money concepts through classroom activities and take-home resources.
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — Addition Financial Credit Union is expanding its ADDing FUNdamentals community impact program through a new partnership with Rosen Preschools, bringing financial literacy education to children as young as 4 while providing resources designed to extend those lessons into their homes.
Now in its fourth year, ADDing FUNdamentals introduces preschool-aged children to basic money-management concepts through interactive, age-appropriate learning experiences.
Developed through a partnership with Junior Achievement of Central Florida and the Early Learning Coalition of Orange County, the program uses Junior Achievement’s JA Ourselves curriculum to teach children foundational concepts including making choices, distinguishing needs from wants and saving money.
Rosen Preschools is participating in the program for the first time, expanding the initiative’s reach to more children and families in Central Florida.
Addition Financial Credit Union, Rosen Preschools and community partners celebrate the expansion of the ADDing FUNdamentals financial literacy program, which introduces preschool-aged children to basic money-management concepts through hands-on learning and imaginative play.
Financial Lessons Extend Beyond the Classroom
As part of the initiative, volunteers from Addition Financial, Junior Achievement and Rosen Hotels & Resorts assembled backpacks filled with educational resources designed to help children follow along with classroom lessons and continue learning at home with their families.
A portion of the backpacks will be distributed to Rosen Tangelo Park Preschool and Rosen Preschool in Parramore.
Addition Financial is also providing playhouses modeled after miniature credit unions, giving students an opportunity to practice basic money-management concepts through imaginative play.
The combination of classroom instruction, hands-on activities and take-home materials is designed to reinforce financial concepts while encouraging families to continue conversations about money outside the classroom.
Rosen CEO: Financial Literacy Is a Critical Life Skill
Frank Santos, president and CEO of Rosen Hotels & Resorts, said his professional background in finance has made financial literacy an issue he strongly supports.
“We are very proud to partner with Addition Financial to bring the ADDing FUNdamentals program to the Rosen Preschools,” Santos said. “Having spent a majority of my career in finance, I am a big advocate for financial literacy.”
Santos called financial literacy a critical life skill and said introducing foundational lessons early, while also sending educational materials home to families, can help prepare children for long-term success.
Addition Financial Focuses on Starting Financial Education Early
Kevin Dougherty, chief operations officer at Addition Financial Credit Union, said the partnership with Rosen expands the program’s ability to introduce financial concepts during children’s formative years.
“We are incredibly grateful to have an organization of Rosen’s caliber become a part of the ADDing FUNdamentals program,” Dougherty said. “The students at Rosen Preschools will now get a jump start on developing key skills many of us take for granted — understanding and managing money.”
Dougherty said the response to the program since its launch demonstrates interest in providing financial education at an early age.
“The positive response and success we’ve seen since launching the program speaks to the need of fostering financial education at an early age,” Dougherty said.
Building Financial Skills Through Community Partnerships
The collaboration brings together a credit union, hospitality organization and education-focused community partners around a shared effort to introduce financial concepts to children early in life.
Rather than limiting the experience to classroom instruction, ADDing FUNdamentals combines curriculum, interactive play and educational materials that children can take home and share with their families.
The addition of Rosen Preschools in the program’s fourth year further expands its presence in Central Florida and brings the financial literacy initiative into the Tangelo Park and Parramore communities.
Through lessons on saving, choices and needs versus wants, participating children receive an early introduction to concepts they will encounter throughout their lives.
