The cluster initiative is one program funded by the $3.6 million in economic development grants approved by Orange County commissioners since February. Due to these funds, Cenfluence membership currently is free. That’s valuable for early-stage companies that don’t have excess funds to spend, said Johnny Williams, CEO of Cenfluence member Player Epic Inc.

Williams founded the Orlando-based esports services startup in 2020, and he’s already seeing value in joining the gaming and esports cluster. He’s been able to access a curated list of funding sources that range from grants to venture capital to small business loans, he told Orlando Inno. “This is the start of Silicon Valley 2.0.”