UCF Business Incubation Program Named Florida’s Top Incubator

Story by UCF

August 19, 2026

The program is the highest-ranked traditional business incubator among TIME’s 20 Best Incubators and Accelerators in America for 2026

After helping generate thousands of jobs, significant investment in companies and hundreds of millions of dollars of economic impact in Central Florida, the UCF Business Incubation Program has earned national recognition as one of the country’s top business incubators.

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

The UCF Business Incubation Program is the top-ranked incubator in Florida and the highest-ranked program focused entirely on traditional business incubation. It was the second-highest Florida program on the list.

It ranked 17th on the list of 80 accelerators and incubators across the country.

“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 of UCF Innovation Districts & Business Incubator at the University of Central Florida. “We’re honored that Time has recognized what our region has known for years: when universities, industry and community partners work together, extraordinary companies can be built.”

More than half of the programs ahead of the UCF Business Incubation Program were accelerators, offering short, cohort-based programming. Other programs offer a limited incubation program, combined with an accelerator.

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. Incubators are often not focused on particular industries or demographics, as most accelerators are instead looking at all types of scalable, innovative companies.

The recognition showcases the success of the companies served. In 2025, more than 100 client companies of the UCF Business Incubation Program employed more than 600 full- and part-time people, 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, 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.”

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

The full methodology is found here, but it 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 recognition further reinforces Central Florida’s emergence as one of America’s leading regions for innovation, technology commercialization and entrepreneurial growth,” Caamano added.