Solodev, a website and mobile app software developer, will create 25 high-wage tech jobs at its Orlando headquarters. The company plans to invest $315,000 on construction and equipment.
Governor Scott said, “The expansion of Solodev and addition of 25 new jobs is great news for Florida families. We have worked to cut taxes and invest in education, and since December 2010, Florida’s private sector has created 679,000 jobs for families. It is clear that we are creating an opportunity economy that supports families, and we will keep working so that every Floridian who wants a job is able to find one.”
Founded in 2006, Solodev is a full-service website and mobile app development company with its own enterprise website content management software. Solodev’s future growth will allow it to expand its software portfolio with the creation of OCOA, a fully integrated online marketing technology solution that includes website and mobile app creation, CRM and marketing automation. The framework for OCOA is in place and preliminary work has begun. The new positions will pay approximately 50 percent more than the average salary in Orange County.
“What other companies are doing through acquisition, we are doing through organic growth,” founder and CTO of Solodev, Shawn Moore said. “Large companies such as Salesforce, SAP, Microsoft and Adobe are buying other companies to add to their existing product lines and are facing the challenge of integrating completely different software platforms and methodologies. We are building some of those same technologies from the ground up and because we are more nimble, we will be able to rapidly supply solutions for today’s business needs and adapt to changing demands in the future.”
Solodev was honored as a 2013 Florida Company to Watch by GrowFL at the University of Central Florida, and Moore was named a 2013 CIO of the Year by the Orlando Business Journal. The company’s steady growth has accelerated recently as evidenced by a doubling in size and revenue in the last year.
“We will continue to serve our great client base while we simultaneously develop software to revolutionize the way companies handle their marketing and sales efforts,” said CEO of Solodev, Ray Gilley. “Orlando is home to a thriving community of talented computer programmers, web designers and digital strategists, and we are excited to provide opportunities for them on our team.”
Florida is ranked third in the nation for high-tech establishments. In addition, the state’s software and computer systems design and integration industry is one of the largest in the U.S., with nearly 12,600 firms. Almost half of the more than 80,000 professionals who work in the field are employed by software development firms, with the rest working in related technology-intensive industries. Florida ranks second in the nation for tech job growth, and the Florida High Tech Corridor, has been named one of the top tech job hot spots in the United States.
Enterprise Florida President and CEO, Gray Swoope said, “Florida is a leader in the information technology industry and Solodev adds value to the extensive sector. Because of our top workforce, infrastructure and quality of life, companies like Solodev are choosing Florida for their business growth. I look forward to seeing the company’s continued success in Orlando.”
This project was made possible with the help of close partnerships between Enterprise Florida, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Orlando Economic Development Commission and Orange County.
Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Executive Director Jesse Panuccio said, “With the exciting expansion of Solodev, we are continuing to see job growth in the STEM fields in our state. The creation of 25 high wage, technology jobs over the next three years represents another step forward in Florida’s economic resurgence.”
“Downtown Orlando is a great location for tech companies like Solodev,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, “With a talented labor force, business friendly environment and high quality of life, Downtown has become an ideal place for dynamic startups to make their home, find success and expand.”
“We are pleased that Solodev continues to grow in Orlando,” said Rick Weddle, president and CEO of the Orlando Economic Development Commission. “Tech firms like Solodev are one of the reasons why Orlando has been named a ‘most promising tech hub to watch’ by Techie.com.”