There's a busy year ahead for the companies that populate the University of Central Florida Volusia County Business Incubator.
In the next 12 months, those firms aim to expand their retail footprint, gamify weather forecasting and boost revenue for customers by $100 million.
The small business incubator, one of eight operated by UCF across Central Florida, launched in 2011. At the time, future site manager of the incubator Connie Garzon was skeptical of a technology incubator in the county given the prominence of non-technical industries in the area, she previously told Orlando Inno.
However, the incubator in the last decade worked with the county's universities to build up an entrepreneurial and high-tech startup ecosystem. Small businesses now form at a fast rate in the county, which saw a 25% year-over-year increase in new business formation in 2020 and a 24% increase in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Here's what several of the incubator's client companies sent to Orlando Inno about what they're working on in the next 12 months:
Salty Bum
- What it does: Island lifestyle brand that sells tees, shirts, dresses, hats and other apparel
- What's next: "We will continue to grow and expand our brand to more retailers across Florida and more states. We currently sell to 45 stores, and we look forward to selling to 75 from now to a year from now."
Sensatek Propulsion Technology Inc.
- What it does: Tech firm that provides predictive maintenance to make it easier to manage complex machines such as jet engines, combustion engines and crypto miners
- What's next: "Over the next 12 months, our company is on track to work with clients — such as NextEra/Florida Power & Light, GE Aviation, Raytheon Pratt & Whitney and Rolls Royce Aircraft Engines — to help generate $100 million in revenue and cost savings by utilizing our predictive maintenance technology and services."
Caribbean Laundry
- What it does: A laundry chemicals and equipment company that distributes Renegade Brands, an innovative technology that replaces multiple cleaning products with a single product system, eliminating the need for inefficient and complex wash cycles.
- What's next: "We have a presence in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Dominican Republic and now we are entering Florida. In Florida, we currently have 60 clients with hotels, restaurants and hospitals, and we hope to duplicate that in a year."
Tropical Chasers Inc.
- What it does: Tropical Chasers developed Weather Champs, an interactive app that lets users predict the weather in a fantasy-style contest described as "if The Weather Channel and Draft Kings had a baby."
- What's next: "This year, Weather Champs will launch the most interactive mobile weather platform on the market, the first to offer weather forecasting games where users compete for accuracy and prizes against each other and the pros."
Associates in Corporate Psychotherapy
- What it does: Telehealth firm that provides corporate mental health and organizational performance coaching
- What's next: "Associates in Corporate Psychotherapy will be launching its residency program aimed at training psychology and professional counseling interns as part of their graduate program requirements, and new graduates for their state board requirements for licensure. It's part of us working on building a platform service and focused on growing our business with new corporate contracts."
Aerosapien Technologies LLC
- What it does: Electric aviation company
- What's next: "We are developing all-electric aircraft for cargo transport, with the ability to operate using existing helipads and regional airports. We are a specialized team of engineers ranging from aerospace, automotive, mechanical, electrical and software."
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