CEP’s Business Creation Efforts

The Power Plant Business Incubator is Ground Zero in the CEP’s Business Creation efforts. The incubator, in existence since 2012, is a facility in downtown Ocala where entrepreneurs can temporarily locate their new businesses and receive a host of resources and connections. Resident companies must meet entrance criteria including being innovative, scalable, and open to coaching/mentorship.

The incubator currently has 14 companies in industries including software, mobile application development, biotech, virtual/ augmented reality, media, 3D printing, medical device and more.

Some of our new Residents:

Elistars – Bharat Patel, Founder
Convenience store business management and back office software that sets business on cruise control and makes managing a store a breeze. www.elistars.com

Tell Them I’m Gone, Inc. – Susan Fowler, Founder
An online platform created to “Leave Nothing Unsaid.” It’s a place to leave love letters, messages, secrets, anything you can think of for loved-ones which will be delivered once you have passed-away. www.tellthemimgone.com

BluGrown Aquaponics – Will Young & Tony Herrera, Founders
The Blugrown Discovery System is an indoor garden/aquaponics system ready-to-go out of the box. Also incorporating the latest in robotics, it’s a place to learn about your food and how it grows. www.blugrown.com

MediRides Transport Corporation – Toykia & K. Spellman, Founders
A new and innovative non-emergency transport company, which has begun residency at the Incubator’s Ocala Health Center for Health Services Innovation. [email protected]

New Programs:

1 Million Cups Ocala – A free event called 1 Million Cups Ocala is open to the public. Each week, two entrepreneurs in the community tell our audience what business ideas they are considering, or what companies they are in the process of starting. The community then brainstorms with each entrepreneur, discovering resources and connections to help them grow. For more information and to see videos of our past presenters visit www.1MillionCups.com/Ocala

FastTrac — The Power Plant Business Incubator is now an Affiliate of the Kauffman FastTrac program. Kauffman FastTrac equips aspiring entrepreneurs with the business skills and insights, tools, resources, and peer networks necessary to start and grow successful businesses. Via the FastTrac website, entrepreneurs can take online courses to acquire basic business knowledge. A series of local, in-person courses will soon be offered as well. More information at https://learn.fasttrac.org/affiliates/power-plant-business-incubator

Free Tours & Presentations – Staff from the Power Plant Business Incubator provides regular free tours of the facility, for groups up to 45 people. Group tours are often paired with presentations on entrepreneurship and local success stories. A speaker is also available for group gatherings, civic organizations, etc. Contact 352-629-8051 for more details.