Orlando Health is deepening its relationship with the University of Central Florida through a new on-campus innovation space designed to bring healthcare challenges closer to the students, faculty and researchers who may help solve them.

The health system has opened Orlando Health Strategic Innovations inside SPRK, UCF’s innovation building on the university’s main campus. The new location gives Orlando Health a direct presence in the middle of UCF’s academic and research environment, while also serving as an extension of the health system’s downtown headquarters.

The approximately 2,649-square-foot space is supported by Orlando Health Ventures and Orlando Health Innovation. Its purpose is to connect real-world clinical and operational needs with academic talent, allowing ideas to be developed, tested, reviewed and improved in a collaborative setting.

For UCF, the arrangement fits into a broader strategy of placing industry partners on campus to encourage faster problem-solving and more practical learning opportunities. By sharing space with companies and institutions, the university aims to make collaboration more immediate and move promising ideas closer to application.

The new space also builds on an existing partnership between Orlando Health and UCF. Orlando Health already provides year-round care for UCF student-athletes through the Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute, including sports medicine, imaging and on-field medical support. The health system also committed $5 million as a Pegasus Partner toward the Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion in Lake Nona, supporting internships, scholarships and hiring initiatives tied to Florida’s nursing workforce needs.

The two organizations also work together on technology and medical training initiatives, including the AI for Medical Surgery system, specialized residency programs and other healthcare-focused collaborations.

UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright said the new co-location reflects what can happen when academic and healthcare partners work with a shared purpose. He said placing Orlando Health inside SPRK should help move healthcare solutions more quickly from concept to community use.

The Strategic Innovations space is expected to bring clinicians, students, faculty and industry partners together around areas such as cancer research, digital health, artificial intelligence models and orthopedic innovation.

Jamal Hakim, M.D., chief physician officer at Orlando Health, said the partnership is intended to create an environment where healthcare providers, researchers and students can develop practical solutions that influence the future of patient care.

The initiative is also part of UCF’s Go For Launch campaign, which focuses on expanding the university’s future through philanthropy, corporate partnerships, research commercialization and other growth efforts.

Rod Grabowski, UCF vice president for Advancement and Partnership and CEO of the UCF Foundation, said the Orlando Health partnership demonstrates the type of industry-academic collaboration the campaign is designed to encourage, with the goal of accelerating discovery and creating solutions that improve lives.

Source: UCF