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Three of Lakeland’s colleges announced major investments and partnerships aimed at scaling up existing programs.
Seed-to-Scale Program at FSC continues to expand
The Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship (CFEE) at Florida Southern College has expanded its Catapult membership from 10 students annually to unlimited members, responding to the rapid growth of Florida Southern College’s Seed-to-Scale program.
420 students or 11% of the student body are enrolled in the program, which gives them the opportunity to develop business ideas, vet them with customers, and launch real revenue-producing businesses. FSC provides education, resources and financial support.
Catapult will now receive real-time data on student ventures and the overall entrepreneurial ecosystem at FSC. Students who reach a certain objective will be categorized as “Catapult’s Mission Fit Members” and be granted full membership to Catapult.
The CFEE is also gaining recognition for its efforts to instill an entrepreneurial mindset in Central Florida. In October, it was named the 2025 Outstanding Emerging Entrepreneurship Center among schools with less than 7,500 students, by the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers.
Florida Poly and Skyway launch high-tech alliance
Florida Polytechnic University and The Skyway Organization LLC, based in Tampa, announced a new partnership on Dec. 2.
“With partnerships like this, we’re strengthening Florida’s talent pipeline and delivering lasting economic benefits for our state by connecting education directly to critical technologies,” said Devin Stephenson, president of Florida Poly.
The partnership gives students the opportunity to collaborate with the Skyway on projects that have real-world implications in fields like advanced manufacturing, materials science and aerospace.
“Together, we’re creating a new model for industry-university collaboration – one that gives students real access to advanced materials, R&D, AI-enabled engineering and next-generation aerospace technologies,” said Skyway CEO Rob Britts.
SEU receives $10 million grant
In November, Southeastern University was awarded a $10 million grant to launch The Kingdom Alliance for Higher Education (KAHE). The grant comes from Lilly Endowment Inc. as part of its Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative.
The Kingdom Alliance will be a network designed to strengthen faith-based colleges and universities that are committed to serving the Church through faith-centered teaching and spiritual formation.
“This funding will empower us to forge a collaborative network that preserves the unique identity of each institution while creating a shared infrastructure that enhances sustainability, innovation, and mission-driven impact,” said SEU President Kent Ingle.
KAHE will offer access to shared funding opportunities, grants and philanthropic contributions, and opportunities to reduce operational costs through centralized services and resource pooling. Members will also have opportunities to launch micro-campuses in churches, schools, and community centers.
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