The College of the Florida Keys received a grant of $25,220 from the Ocean Reef Community Foundation (ORCF) to support the launch of CFK’s entrepreneurship incubator lab. The hands-on program based at CFK’s Upper Keys Center will help aspiring entrepreneurs, students and local business owners transform ideas into viable ventures. The ORCF grant will cover the program’s inaugural costs and allow the first group of students to attend free of charge. Participants will compete for $7,500 in awards when the program culminates with a “Pitch Night Showcase” of new ideas and ventures.
“The entrepreneurship incubator lab is more than a college program, it is an investment in the economic future of the Florida Keys,” said Jesus Vazquez, a college faculty member. “Thanks to the generous support of the Ocean Reef Community Foundation, we are able to launch this initiative and provide our inaugural cohort with access to entrepreneurial education, mentorship and resources at no cost.”
The lab will be an eight-week group experience that guides participants through the entrepreneurial process from idea development and planning to marketing, sales, financials and operations. The small-group model encourages accountability, collaboration and peer networking while guiding participants in building and refining their ventures alongside fellow entrepreneurs.
Key dates for the launch are:
Applications open: Aug. 1.
Application deadline: Sept. 25.
Cohort Workshop Begins: Oct. 5.
The lab is designed for aspiring and emerging entrepreneurs in the Upper Keys region who are ready to develop, launch or grow a business venture.
The program is open to:
Current CFK students from all academic disciplines.
CFK alumni seeking to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities.
Keys residents with innovative business ideas or startup concepts.
New and early-stage business owners looking to expand, refine or strengthen operations.
For more information, visit the lab, or contact Vazquez at 305-809-3328 or jesus.vazquez@cfk.edu.
