Center For Free Enterprise And Entrepreneurship At Florida Southern College Named 2025 Outstanding Emerging Entrepreneurship Center By GCEC

The Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship (CFEE) at Florida Southern College has been named the 2025 Outstanding Emerging Entrepreneurship Center by the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers (GCEC), recognizing its innovative programs and rapid growth. 

The Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship (CFEE) received this prestigious recognition in acknowledgment of its novel and impactful programming under the leadership of Executive Director Justin Heacock. Through his vision and commitment, the CFEE has significantly expanded its reach and influence. In addition, the CFEE’s Seed-to-Scale Program was ranked No. 1 as the largest incubation program in the state of Florida in 2025

“We won this award because we're reimagining entrepreneurial education at scale for the first time. With over 400 students, or 11 percent of the student body,  in our Seed-to-Scale Program, our Center is the most efficient entrepreneurship center globally,” said Heacock. “My hope is that this award allows Florida Southern to be an industry leader in entrepreneurship and show other schools that entrepreneurship can and should impact more students than just 1 percent of a campus body.”  

The CFEE’s Seed-to-Scale program provides an experiential pathway for students to develop business ideas, vet them with customers, and launch real revenue producing businesses all while getting the education, resources, and financial support they need at every stage. 

“Where most universities view entrepreneurship as just another program offering, we see entrepreneurship as a continuation piece for every project-based class or idea on a college campus. With the rapid changes in technology and AI, it’s crucial that every student be exposed to entrepreneurship in some way to stay competitive in the next economy,” said Heacock.  

Since the launch of the incubation initiative, which includes a partnership with Kanu, an entrepreneurial learning platform, the program has grown from 30 to over 420 students in just nine months. Kanu enhances the program by offering experiential micro-learning content and venture creation tools, expanding access to entrepreneurship education.  

The Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship at Florida Southern College remains committed to educating the next generation of entrepreneurs by providing students with hands-on experience, mentorship, and resources to turn their innovative ideas into viable businesses. Through continued collaboration and cutting-edge programming, the Center strives to empower students to become impactful leaders and creators in the global economy.