Yesterday, Time magazine released its inaugural listing of America’s Best Incubators and Accelerators 2026, spotlighting programs that assist early-stage companies to grow, scale and create lasting economic impact.

The UCF Business Incubation Program ranks No. 17 out of 80 entities nationally — and as the No. 1 business incubator in Florida. It is also the highest-ranked program focused entirely on traditional business incubation.

“We’re honored that Time magazine has recognized what our region has known for years: when universities, industry and community partners work together, extraordinary companies can be built.” — Rafael Caamano, UCF Business Incubation Program interim director

“This recognition reflects more than the work of our team; it reflects the success of every entrepreneur, mentor, community partner, investor and local government that has helped build Central Florida’s innovation ecosystem over the past 27 years,” says Rafael Caamano, interim director ɫ���� Innovation Districts and the UCF Business Incubator. “We’re honored that Time magazine has recognized what our region has known for years: when universities, industry and community partners work together, extraordinary companies can be built.”

The recognition showcases the success of the companies served. In 2025, more than 100 client companies of the UCF Business Incubation Program collectively employed a workforce of more than 600 full- and part-time professionals, secured more than $78 million in contracts and attracted nearly $35 million in investment.

“Behind every successful innovation are talented people with the vision, expertise and determination to translate complex ideas into value for society,” says Winston Schoenfeld, UCF’s vice president for research and innovation. “This recognition celebrates the power of partnerships among academia, industry professionals and entrepreneurs who together build an ecosystem that transforms discovery into real-world solutions driving economic growth and shaping the future.”

How the Ranking Was Determined

According to Statsia, the global research platform that provided the research for Time’s ranking, those selected were based on track record, peer recommendations and measurable founder outcomes.

The evaluation included:

• Alumni evaluations, based on surveys of companies that graduated from the program over the past five years.
• Client success, measured through the performance and growth of participating companies.
• Expert recommendations from startup investors, seasoned entrepreneurs and business leaders.

The ranking considers both incubators and accelerators, which offer short (often 3-6 months), cohort-based programming and are often focused on particular industries or demographics. One example is Plug and Play — which ranks No. 34 nationally on the list — a global startup accelerator based in California that has partnered with UCF for an Orlando office.

“We love the UCF Business Incubation Program and how instrumental the program has been in our success.” — Lizbeth Walker, CEO of Qualifize and UCF Business Incubator client

A traditional incubation program offers a more robust range of services over an extended period of time, allowing companies to gain the foundation they need for success.

“The relationships we’ve built and partnerships through the program, have positioned us to serve our commercial and government clients on a different level of excellence and ingenuity due in part to the standards set at our UCF Incubator,” says Lizbeth Walker, CEO of Qualifize, an operational intelligence company and UCF Business Incubator client.

More than half of the programs ranked ahead of the UCF Business Incubation Program were accelerators. Other programs offer a limited incubation program, combined with an accelerator.

“The recognition further reinforces Central Florida’s emergence as one of America’s leading regions for innovation, technology commercialization and entrepreneurial growth,” Caamano says.

“We are genuinely proud to be part of this journey and to witness the continued growth and success that led to this achievement,” says Aluska Richardson, CEO/president of Aurora InfoTech, an IT and cybersecurity support company and UCF Business Incubator client. “Moments like this are a testament to the hard work, dedication, and vision behind everything you do, and we are honored to be included along the way.”

From Incubation to National Recognition

The program’s impact is also reflected in the success of the companies it supports. Two current UCF Business Incubation Program clients — advanced-materials startup Soarce and energy-technology company Capacitech — are led by UCF engineering and business Knights who were recognized on Forbes’ 2026 30 Under 30 list.

Capacitech Energy CEO Joe Sleppy ’18 develops modular supercapacitor systems to improve power reliability in data centers and microgrids, while Soarce co-founders Matthew Jaeger ’22, Patrick Michel, Mason Mincey ’23 and Derek Saltzman ’23 transform hemp, seaweed and grass into high-strength nanomaterials.

This national recognition paired with the new Time magazine ranking highlights how UCF’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is helping turn promising ideas into companies that develop solutions with potential global impact.

Powered by Partnership

Operating across seven sites, the UCF Business Incubation Program empowers business owners through support from Orange County Government, the City of Orlando, Seminole County Government, the City of Kissimmee, Osceola County Government, Lake County Government and the City of Eustis.

This Time magazine recognition not only signals UCF’s strength in fostering economic development, but how collaboration facilities collective impact.

Here the UCF Business Incubator partners share the importance of this honor.

Mike Bishop, director of economic development, City of Eustis: “A healthy entrepreneurial ecosystem gives local business owners the support, connections and confidence they need to turn good ideas into lasting companies. The UCF Business Incubation Program is an important part of that ecosystem in Eustis, and this national recognition affirms the value it brings to our businesses and community.”

David Rodriguez, economic development director, City of Kissimmee: “The UCF Incubator in Kissimmee is an important partner in our efforts to diversify and strengthen our economy. By supporting entrepreneurs, innovation, and high-growth businesses, the Incubator helps create new opportunities and builds the foundation for a more resilient and dynamic local economy”

Meg Brew, director, Lake County Economic Development: “Our business incubator is an incredible resource for companies looking to establish themselves in Lake County. Together, we’re creating new opportunities for local businesses and showcasing Lake County as a great place to grow and succeed.”

Jerry Demings, mayor, Orange County: “The UCF Business Incubation Program is an important partner in our efforts to diversify Orange County’s economy and support entrepreneurs as they grow successful businesses and create jobs. We’re proud of our partnership and congratulate the program on this well-deserved recognition.”

Buddy Dyer, mayor, City of Orlando: “One of our city’s key priorities has long been to ensure we are providing opportunities and forging strategic partnerships that elevate our city’s ability to foster a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem, where entrepreneurs can not only start a new business, but are able to succeed long-term. The UCF Business Incubation Program’s success is undeniable, with the ideas and successes of entrepreneurs who have gone through this program putting Orlando on the map as one of the nation’s leaders in advanced technology and innovation. We as a city are proud to be a partner of the UCF Incubator for nearly 20 years, and congratulate them on this incredibly well-earned recognition.”

Commissioner Brandon Arrington, chairman of the Osceola County Board of County Commissioners: “UCF’s Business Incubation Program is working to build the next generation of businesses in Central Florida while creating new opportunities for our workforce to grow alongside them. This recognition is a testament to what happens when education, entrepreneurship, and economic development come together. In Osceola County, we’re focused on building a strong classroom-to-boardroom pipeline, and our partnership with UCF is an invaluable part of those efforts. By helping entrepreneurs turn ideas into growing companies, we’re creating jobs today and building the talent that will drive our economy forward tomorrow.”

Andria Herr, chairman, Seminole County: “Seminole County has long recognized that supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses is an investment in our local economy. Our partnership with the UCF Business Incubation Program connects businesses with the resources and expertise they need to grow and succeed right here in our community. This national recognition is well deserved, and we are proud to be part of the program’s continued success.”

“There’s a lot of places that say, ‘Hey, look at all the things we’ve done.’ And then there’s UCF that says, ‘Look at all the things we’re doing,’ ” Sleppy says. “I wanted to be part of building the future.”

“I wanted to be part of building the future.” — Joe Sleppy

In his first year, he landed undergraduate research opportunities thanks to UCF’s , which offers students opportunities for career exploration and experiential learning in STEM the first two years of their college career.

In UCF Professor of Nanotechnology Jayan Thomas’ lab, the two partnered on the idea that would eventually become Capacitech Energy, where Sleppy has served as CEO since its inception in 2016 during his sophomore year.

Future-Proofing the Power Grid

Capacitech is a rapid response energy storage leader building high-power and space-conscious energy storage systems for an increasingly complex grid. Essentially, Sleppy and his team turn supercapacitor components into modular, plug-and-play systems that harden power infrastructure against power demand spikes, outages and equipment damage.

Sleppy explains traditional power infrastructure, such as generators and batteries, are like a marathon runner whereas supercapacitors are more like a sprinter. Modern facilities — like data centers that power AI — demand power 24/7 but also demand even more power than normal for just a few seconds. Ideally, both a sprinter and marathon runner are required. So, Capacitech’s products make it practical to form relay teams between the traditional infrastructure (marathon runners) and supercapacitors (sprinters).

“If we can use supercapacitors to complement batteries, generators, fuel cells and the broader grid to serve this demand profile that’s coming from manufacturing facilities and data centers, then we’re making the world a better place — economically, but also in terms of power sustainability and security. And I think that that’s very important,” Sleppy says.

They made their first commercial sale in 2022 to Red Bull and have been running full force ever since.

Built by UCF

The company was bolstered by many resources at UCF on its way to raising the $2.5 million it has so far through investors and federal research and development programs. To this day, UCF’s continues to house Capacitech’s operations with adaptable leasing structures, physical space, mentoring programs and community that have adapted to their needs as they’ve grown. This year, they’ll expand into new warehouse in research park, adjacent to UCF’s campus.

“The world is watching. Let’s use innovation and entrepreneurship to make it better.” — Joe Sleppy

“UCF encouraged me to think outside of the box,” he says. “UCF is an innovative university because they’ll ask, ‘Why not?’ I think I share the same philosophy with running Capacitech. Let’s try it. The world is watching. Let’s use innovation and entrepreneurship to make it better.”

In 2026 Sleppy expects Capacitech to announce new partnerships and pilot programs in industry. And they’re already engaged in mentoring the next generation of Knights with internship opportunities for students.

“Entrepreneurship is how the world gets better — whether it’s a nonprofit or a tech startup like ours,” Sleppy says. “By reducing strain on the grid and extending the life of critical infrastructure like batteries and microgrids, we’re making energy systems more resilient and accessible. That means fewer vulnerable communities at risk and more room for innovation to grow. It’s hard not to get excited when your work genuinely makes the world better.”

Joe Sleppy was recognized on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Energy & Green Tech list in 2026.

Zuniga founded ZuLeris Interactive in 2023 after realizing the opportunity to create simulations for specialized electromagnetic defense training through his Entrepreneurship for Defense course while earning degrees in both electrical and photonics engineering.

Nearly a year later, the company has earned its first contract and acceptance to the UCF Business Incubation Program where it will accelerate innovation and unleash its potential.

ZuLeris will integrate its electromagnetic warfare virtual training environment into tactical awareness kits through its first contract with Chesapeake Technology International (CTI), its sponsor company. The team will work to enable communication of CTI’s geospatial mapping and constructive electromagnetic capabilities with ZuLeris’ visualization of the electromagnetic spectrum to conduct immersive training scenarios.

The promising company is looking to continue its initial success and harness the UCF Business Incubation Program’s resources in its quest to defend against threats unseen.

“When you see the wars that are happening nowadays, it’s more prevalent than ever, and so it’s important that the soldiers have the training that they need for this,” Zuniga says. “And so how can you be ready for something you can’t see? Well, the answer isn’t through simple presentations; it’s simulations that you can play with. That’s what we aim to do as a company to make that training happen.”

The simulation is played on a computer or tablet to ensure that it is compliant with defense industry standards and easily deployed as a training exercise. Users’ response times and effectiveness are measured as they navigate through a virtual area with varied terrain and obstacles to track and determine where an electromagnetic signal is coming from.

“You walk around with your spectrum analyzer and your map, and then you draw lines on the map to try and triangulate where exactly the signals coming from,” Zuniga says. “Once you find your signal, then you get given a measure of effectiveness report, which is telling you how you did and where you could have done better.”

Existing training consists of searching for an object with a signal embedded in it and then hidden within a challenging environment. It can be costly and time consuming to stage these exercises, Zuniga says. However, their simulations have the potential advantage of being able to create a virtual space that is close to an inaccessible area where users may experience electromagnetic interference.

“The problem we’re trying to solve was, how do we take this training that’s really costly that usually comes with a lot of paperwork, and get all that ready to go for an hour training?” Zuniga says. “We wanted to make it so you can do it whenever and wherever you want.”

Zuniga and UCF student and co-founder Liam Etan ’24 received defense agency sponsorship to develop their ideas through class, advancing through multiple defense-oriented technology competitions that showcased their simulation and validated that their technology was worthy of pursuing and growing.

The journey in developing ZuLeris has been both expeditious and exciting, as the supportive team has been crucial to maintaining direction, Zuniga says.

“Sometimes I wonder, ‘Am I really ready for this kind of thing?’” Zuniga says. “I’m still a student, and it’s a huge jump, and it’s a jump that I’m still learning. The easiest way that I have found to handle that process is having a co-founder on your side to help you along that journey, and vice versa. Liam is fantastic, and he helped me in so many ways that I don’t think I could ever do without him.”

Etan, who received his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, is the company’s chief operating office. He says he’s grateful to be a part of ZuLeris and see how the UCF Business Incubation Program can help.

“It’s always important to emphasize how truly grateful we are for the community in Orlando and all of our mentors, especially organizations like the National Security Innovation Network, UCF, and the Tech Grove,” he says. “We are still brand new to the incubator, but so far, we’ve been able to establish a real address and office for the company, rather than using our parents’ homes. We’ve also already been able to have very productive meetings with the incubator team that have helped us decide on next steps.”

The additional boost the mentorship and guidance the incubation program provides can almost literally be a game changer, Zuniga says.

“It gets rid of all those potential roadblocks along the way,” he says. “We can even prepare for those we didn’t even know about. Having that foresight is fantastic, and that’s where the incubator is really helpful.”