Central Florida University is opening a new incubator at its Centre for Emerging Media in Orlando. The incubator will focus on startups developing video games, animated films, simulations, as well as mobile and web products.
The incubator will be part of the university’s Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy (FIEA), a video game programme for graduate students, and its nearby Studio 500. The latter is FIEA’s audio, motion capture and film studios. Entrepreneurs graduating from FIEA will be able work in the new incubator for a year in exchange for a 5% equity stake. The incubator will consider accepting graduates from other faculties in the future.
The university is currently undergoing an initiative to open new facilities in downtown Orlando – including, eventually, a new campus. The incubator itself may be moved to that new campus into a planned multi-use complex dubbed Creative Village.
Ben Noel, FIEA executive director, said: “FIEA’s success in developing graduates for high-wage, local industries has increased entrepreneurship, and this new program will place our recent graduates in a perfect atmosphere to start a successful small business.”
