Florida Construction News staff writer
A new high-tech laboratory is coming to NeoCity, marking the latest step in Osceola County’s push to expand its semiconductor and advanced manufacturing sectors.
The $22-million project will deliver a 30,000-square-foot multi-use facility featuring wet, dry and cryogenic lab space designed to support research, innovation and industry growth. Funded in part by a $17.5-million grant from the state through the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund, the lab is expected to help attract new companies while allowing existing tenants to expand.
County Commissioners, elected officials and J. Alex Kelly, secretary of Florida Commerce, gathered at NeoCity for the ceremonial groundbreaking, where new renderings of the facility were also unveiled.
Osceola Board of County Commissioners Chairman Brandon Arrington said the project represents a long-term investment in the region’s economic transformation.
“This 30,000-square-foot, multi-use lab is more than just a building. It’s a strategic investment in the kind of economy we are working to create,” Arrington said. “With dry labs, wet labs, and specialized cryogenic capabilities, this facility is designed to meet the needs of a rapidly evolving industry and remove barriers to growth for the companies we want to attract and retain.”
He added the building’s design draws inspiration from the layered, iridescent structure of microchip wafers, reflecting the innovation-driven industries it aims to support.
Kelly said Florida has quietly built a strong presence in semiconductor-related industries, including chip production, advanced packaging and photonics, but that NeoCity has helped raise the state’s profile globally.
“It was a big, bold, patient vision that created a bright light here at NeoCity,” Kelly said. “Today, international partners from places like Taiwan, Japan and South Korea recognize NeoCity and are coming here to collaborate.”
Launched in 2014, NeoCity was created to diversify Osceola County’s economy beyond tourism and agriculture by attracting high-tech industries and research institutions. The campus offers proximity to major universities and access to a unique transportation hub linking spaceport, seaport, airport and rail infrastructure.
The site has seen significant growth in recent years, including the opening of the Center for Neovation, home to SkyWater Florida and imec, and NeoCity Academy, a top-ranked public high school focused on science and technology. Additional partners include the University of Florida’s Florida Semiconductor Institute and the National Science Foundation-backed Florida Semiconductor Engine.
Officials say the new lab will build on that momentum, helping position NeoCity as a global hub for semiconductor research, job creation and investment.
