The ground floor of the Pixon building in Town Center is where Lake Nona's startups, 5G testing and a public makerspace share one room.
ms2 Lab is a 16,000-square-foot startup accelerator and makerspace on the ground floor of the Pixon building in Lake Nona Town Center, Orlando. It was developed by Tavistock Development Company, Lake Nona's developer, and opened in late 2020; its name refers to meters per second squared, the unit of acceleration. ms2 is home to the leAD Lake Nona Sports & Health Tech Accelerator and the Verizon 5G Innovation Hub. It also houses HiveLabs, a membership makerspace at 7004 Tavistock Lakes Blvd, Suite 132, that is open to the public through maker, student, household and corporate memberships. The space has about 40 workstations, conference and team rooms, quiet rooms, 3D printers and indoor Verizon 5G.
Walk past the Pixon apartments in Lake Nona Town Center and you might not notice that the ground floor isn't retail. Behind the glass is ms2 Lab, the room where Lake Nona's startup accelerator, its 5G test space and a public makerspace all share one floor.
It's easy to miss because ms2 doesn't market itself much. Its website is little more than a tagline. But if you want to know where Lake Nona's “living lab” idea actually happens day to day, this is the place. Here's what's inside, who runs it, and how residents can use part of it.
What Is ms2 Lab?
ms2 Lab is a 16,000-square-foot startup accelerator and makerspace on the ground floor of the Pixon building in Lake Nona Town Center, developed by Tavistock Development Company.
The name, also written MS², stands for meters per second squared, the unit of acceleration, which fits a space built to speed up young companies. Lake Nona introduced it as an all-new space in October 2020. ms2's own description calls it “a 16,000 sq ft accelerator & makerspace powering founders, prototypes, and community.”
| Location | Ground floor of Pixon, Lake Nona Town Center (7004 Tavistock Lakes Blvd) |
|---|---|
| Size | 16,000 sq ft |
| Developer | Tavistock Development Company |
| Opened | Late 2020 |
| Tenants and programs | leAD Lake Nona Sports & Health Tech Accelerator, Verizon 5G Innovation Hub, HiveLabs makerspace |
| Facilities | About 40 workstations, a large conference room, 2 team rooms, 2 quiet rooms, 3D printers, indoor Verizon 5G |
What Is Inside ms2 Lab?
ms2 is an open, reconfigurable floor with about 40 workstations, a large conference room, two team rooms, two quiet rooms, 3D printers and indoor Verizon 5G.
It was designed to change as tenants come and go. Two garage-door entrances let teams bring in large prototypes, the windows are smart glass that tints automatically, and power is available throughout the floor. Lake Nona described the layout as “meant to be shared and flexible so that the configuration can change over time as innovations and occupants come and go.”
Which Programs Are Based at ms2 Lab?
ms2 is home to two of Lake Nona's best-known innovation programs, the leAD Lake Nona Sports & Health Tech Accelerator and the Verizon 5G Innovation Hub, which have shared the space since it opened.
leAD Lake Nona Sports & Health Tech Accelerator. This is the first U.S. program of leAD, a Berlin-founded sports and health investor backed by the family of Adidas founder Adi Dassler. It brings early-stage startups to Lake Nona for a months-long program that includes investment, mentoring and the chance to test products in the community.
Verizon 5G Innovation Hub. Verizon Business opened it in November 2020 as a place for companies to build and test applications on its 5G Ultra Wideband network in a real community rather than a lab.
Can Lake Nona Residents Use ms2 Lab?
Yes, through HiveLabs, the membership makerspace inside ms2, which is open to the public with maker, student, household and corporate memberships.
HiveLabs is at 7004 Tavistock Lakes Blvd, Suite 132. Members get access to its tools and equipment, discounted classes and workshops, community events and connections to industry mentors. The University membership is discounted for enrolled students, and the Household membership covers a family of three or more. HiveLabs publishes open hours, tours and events on a calendar on its website, which is the best place to check before visiting.
The accelerator and 5G hub side of ms2 is for participating companies and partners. Startups interested in the leAD program apply through leAD.
Why Is ms2 Lab in the Pixon Building?
Putting ms2 on the ground floor of Pixon places startups in the middle of Lake Nona Town Center, where the community itself becomes the testing ground.
Lake Nona has long pitched itself as a “living lab,” a place where new technology can be tried out on real streets with real residents. That's why the Verizon hub's early pilot projects involved Lake Nona's autonomous shuttles and Medical City's hospitals, and why leAD startups are encouraged to test with local athletes and health institutions. ms2 is the office those experiments run from.
Pixon is a mixed-use apartment building in Town Center. That puts ms2 within walking distance of the restaurants and shops around Lake Nona Town Center and the Lake Nona Performance Club.
What Does ms2 Lab Mean for Living in Lake Nona?
ms2 is where Lake Nona's startup and technology identity is most concrete, and through HiveLabs it's one of the few innovation spaces here that residents can join.
Most of Lake Nona's big innovation names, like KPMG Lakehouse, Medical City's research centers and corporate headquarters, are closed to the public. ms2 is smaller, but part of it is open to anyone who wants to build something, which is useful for families with kids interested in making and engineering.
The closest neighborhood is Laureate Park, and Pixon itself offers apartment living right upstairs. Browse the rest of Lake Nona's tech and research landscape in our Lake Nona tech and innovation guide.
Pros, Cons and Our Take
Pros
- The home base for Lake Nona's startup accelerator and 5G test hub, all in one place
- A public makerspace (HiveLabs) with student and household memberships
- A central Town Center location, walkable to restaurants and shops
- Backed by Lake Nona's developer, which ties it to the community's long-term plans
Cons
- Low profile: ms2's own website says very little about the space or how to use it
- The accelerator and 5G hub are for participating companies, not the general public
- Membership pricing isn't published; you'll need to contact HiveLabs
Our Take
ms2 Lab is the most hands-on piece of Lake Nona's innovation story. It's where startups actually sit, where 5G applications actually get tested, and, since HiveLabs opened, where residents can walk in and use the tools themselves.
It's also undersold. If you're a founder, a student or a parent of a kid who likes to build things, it's worth a visit before you decide it isn't for you.
What the Neighbors Know
Many Lake Nona residents walk past ms2 without knowing what's inside. The ones who do know it as the place where the leAD startups work and where HiveLabs members build their projects.
It's a good example of how Lake Nona mixes living and working. Apartments upstairs, a startup floor downstairs, and Town Center's shops and restaurants across the street.
Official Sources
- ms2 Lab (official site)
- Lake Nona: the all-new MS² space at Pixon
- HiveLabs makerspace
- Lake Nona: Verizon 5G Innovation Hub
- Lake Nona: leAD accelerator announcement
Buying or selling in Lake Nona? Call/Text David Myers at 407.801.3286 or use the contact form.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ms2 Lab in Lake Nona?
ms2 Lab is a 16,000-square-foot startup accelerator and makerspace on the ground floor of the Pixon building in Lake Nona Town Center, developed by Tavistock Development Company. It houses the leAD Lake Nona Sports & Health Tech Accelerator, the Verizon 5G Innovation Hub and the HiveLabs makerspace.
What does ms2 stand for?
ms2, also written MS², stands for meters per second squared, the unit of acceleration, a nod to the space's role as a startup accelerator.
Where is ms2 Lab?
ms2 Lab is on the ground floor of the Pixon building in Lake Nona Town Center, 7004 Tavistock Lakes Blvd, Orlando, FL 32827.
Can the public use ms2 Lab?
Yes, through HiveLabs, the makerspace inside ms2, which offers maker, university, household and corporate memberships. The accelerator and 5G hub areas are for participating companies.
Is the Verizon 5G Innovation Hub at ms2 Lab?
Yes. The Verizon 5G Innovation Hub opened in November 2020 in the ms2 space at Pixon, which it shares with the leAD Lake Nona Sports & Health Tech Accelerator.
