Florida Council of 100 Opens Applications for Ambition Accelerated, Statewide Platform to Help Build the Next Generation of American Companies
Business-led initiative backed by 75 CEOs connects high-growth founders with customers, capital, executive leadership, and strategic partners across four industries shaping Florida’s future
The Florida Council of 100 and its Foundation today announced that applications are now open for the 2026 accelerator program within Ambition Accelerated, the Council’s statewide platform designed to help build the next generation of American companies.
As states compete for founders, investment, and innovation, The Florida Council of 100 is advancing a new model for strengthening Florida’s economic competitiveness. To win over the next generation of companies, states must do more than attract founders — they must surround them with the relationships, expertise, and opportunities needed to succeed. Understanding that, the Council is bringing together CEOs, founders, investors, universities, and corporate partners in a collaborative effort to help build and scale companies in Florida.
Ambition Accelerated is the Council's flagship platform for doing just that. The accelerator program gives high-growth founders direct access to executive mentors, enterprise customers, strategic partners, investors, and experienced operators who can help accelerate growth. More than 75 CEOs from some of Florida's leading companies are engaged to support this year's program.
The 2026 accelerator is organized around four tracks across the Gold Coast, Tampa Bay, and Southwest Florida, focusing on industries where Florida is well positioned to lead: FinTech, Dual-Use & Defense Technology, HealthTech, and Resilience. These sectors reflect areas where Florida has distinct competitive advantages and the potential to grow nationally significant companies.
Ambition Accelerated builds on the Florida Council of 100’s long-term competitiveness work. Through Beyond Sunshine, the Council identified the industries where Florida has the greatest opportunity to lead over the coming decades. Gold Coast Tech then demonstrated how business leaders could help founders succeed by connecting them directly with customers, investors and experienced operators. Ambition Accelerated expands that proven model into a statewide platform focused on helping build the next generation of American companies.
“The next generation of iconic American companies are being built in Florida,” said George LeMieux, Chairman of The Florida Council of 100 and Chairman of the Board at Gunster. “Florida has created an environment where founders can find customers, attract investment, build partnerships, and grow. Florida is where America succeeds.”
The 2026 program features an exclusive eight-week hybrid accelerator, with ten companies selected for each track. Participants will receive executive coaching and strategic guidance, connect directly with business leaders and potential customers, participate in a statewide showcase with members of The Florida Council of 100, receive access to eMerge Americas’ invitation-only Miami AI Summit, and one founder and one cofounder or member of the founding team will receive a free one-year membership to Embarc Collective, Florida’s largest startup hub, in 2027, which will provide founders continuing access to curated startup programming, on-demand coaching and mentorship, and university resources, including matching grants for research, SBIR/STTR guidance, workforce and talent, and IP portfolios; connectivity to corporates and investors; use of open collaboration workspace, conference rooms, and event space; and engagement with a community of more than 300 founders of 150 Florida-based startups and growth-stage companies in healthcare, frontier tech, fintech, resilience and climate tech, and defense and national security, among sixty sectors.
“The states that lead over the next decade won’t just be the ones that attract great companies,” said Mike Simas, President and CEO of The Florida Council of 100. “They’ll be the ones that help build them. Florida has all the ingredients to become that kind of place, and Ambition Accelerated is about connecting founders with the customers, capital, talent, and business leaders they need to grow.”
"I've seen firsthand how founders decide where to build," said Francis Suarez, former two-term Mayor of Miami and Senior Advisor to the Gold Coast Campaign. "They’re looking for customers they couldn't reach otherwise, investors who understand their business, and operators who've already navigated the challenges they're about to face. Florida has distinct competitive advantages in the industries this accelerator is focused on, and Ambition Accelerated gives founders a direct path into the relationships that matter most. This accelerator will show founders nationwide that Florida is not just a place to launch, but a place to scale, compete, and stay."
Industry-Led Accelerators
Each accelerator focuses on an industry critical to Florida’s future and is supported by business leaders investing in the next generation of innovation.
Ambition Accelerated: Gold Coast Tech
Powered by The Florida Council of 100, Related Ross, eMerge Americas, and Embarc Collective, and presented by Truist, Gold Coast Tech includes a FinTech track in West Palm Beach and a Dual-Use & Defense Technology track in Miami.
“At Truist, our purpose is to inspire and build better lives and communities, and one way we bring that to life is by supporting founders who are building solutions that can strengthen industries and local economies,” said Scott Cathcart, Florida regional president at Truist. “Through Ambition Accelerated, we’re proud to help connect high-growth founders with the relationships, market perspective and resources they need to scale in Florida and create lasting impact.”
Ambition Accelerated: Tampa Bay
Powered by The Florida Council of 100, Embarc Collective, and eMerge Americas, and presented by GuideWell and Tampa General Hospital, the Tampa Bay accelerator is anchored at Embarc Collective within the Tampa Medical & Research District and focuses on healthcare delivery, medical devices, diagnostics, and digital health.
The entrepreneurs in this accelerator have an opportunity to build more than a company — they can help build a better system of care,” said Brian Pieninck, President and CEO of GuideWell. “People deserve healthcare that works with and for them. We get there by bringing the whole system together, focused on what people and communities need. Florida will lead and show that better is possible at scale.
“Healthcare innovation happens when providers, researchers, entrepreneurs, and industry work together to solve real problems,” said John Couris, President and CEO of Tampa General Hospital. “We’re proud to support founders whose ideas have the potential to improve patient care and strengthen Florida’s leadership in health innovation.”
Ambition Accelerated: Southwest Florida
Powered by The Florida Council of 100, Embarc Collective, and eMerge Americas, and presented by Babcock Ranch, the Southwest Florida accelerator is anchored at Babcock Ranch, America’s first solar-powered town, and focuses on technologies that strengthen resilient communities through innovations in infrastructure, energy, water, construction, and disaster preparedness.
“Babcock Ranch was built on the belief that resilience and innovation go hand in hand,” said Syd Kitson, Chairman and CEO of Kitson & Partners and founder of Babcock Ranch. “By supporting entrepreneurs developing the next generation of resilience technologies, we’re investing in solutions that will benefit communities across Florida and beyond.”
Platform Partners
Founding Platform Partners Related Ross and eMerge Americas helped launch Ambition Accelerated alongside FC100 through the Gold Coast Tech Accelerator and continue to support its statewide expansion, while Embarc Collective has joined as a Statewide Platform Partner to provide coaching and programming support across all accelerator programs.
“The Gold Coast has become one of America’s most dynamic regions for entrepreneurship and investment,” said Eric Silagy, Chair of The Florida Council of 100 Foundation and Vice Chairman of Related Ross. “Connecting founders with customers, capital, and experienced business leaders gives promising companies a better opportunity to successfully grow their business.”
“eMerge Americas was created to connect entrepreneurs, investors, corporations, and innovators shaping the future of technology,” said Melissa Medina, Co-Founder and CEO of eMerge Americas. “Ambition Accelerated builds on that mission by creating more opportunities for founders across Florida.”
“Founders need experienced coaches, trusted advisors, and a community committed to helping them succeed,” said Tim Holcomb, President and CEO of Embarc Collective. “We’re excited to help founders build enduring companies through this statewide effort.”
Applications for the 2026 accelerator program are open through August 21, 2026.
To learn more or apply, visit AmbitionAccelerated.com.
About The Florida Council of 100
The Florida Council of 100 is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that brings together the CEOs of Florida’s leading companies to strengthen the state’s long-term competitiveness, expand economic opportunity for future generations, and advance solutions that better the lives of all Floridians.
The Council identifies Florida’s greatest economic opportunities and challenges, convenes business, government, academic, and community leaders around practical solutions, and builds initiatives that create lasting economic impact. Through research, collaboration, and business-led action, the Council works to help Florida build stronger industries, create higher-wage jobs, develop talent, improve quality of life, and remain one of the best places in America to build a business.
Founded in 1961 at the request of Governor Farris Bryant, the Council brings together CEOs who believe business success carries a responsibility to help shape Florida’s future. Today, the Council represents more than 200 companies employing over 1.3 million Floridians.
About The Florida Council of 100 Foundation
The Florida Council of 100 Foundation is the Council’s nonprofit affiliate, focused on research, education and strategic initiatives that support long-term economic growth and prosperity across Florida. The Foundation plays a key role in identifying opportunities, funding forward-thinking programs and driving collaborative partnerships to strengthen Florida’s talent pipeline and innovation economy. For more information, visit fc100.org.
About eMerge Americas
eMerge Americas is a strategic convener and catalyst for innovation, bringing together global enterprises, startups, investors, and government leaders to accelerate advancements across AI, Finance, Health, and National Security. Through year-round programming and its annual tech conference + expo in Miami, eMerge drives transformative ideas to market and strengthens industries through connection, capital, and collaboration. Since 2014, the global tech conference + expo has attracted 20,000+ attendees annually from over 50 countries and catalyzed billions in venture investment. For more information, visit www.emergeamericas.com.
About Related Ross
Led by visionary developer Stephen Ross, Related Ross is a fully integrated real estate company shaping South Florida’s next generation of growth. With more than $10B planned in investment across Palm Beach County, the firm is a market leader in attracting global companies and talent to South Florida.
As a catalyst for regional growth, Related Ross is advancing developments through public-private partnerships that strengthen business ecosystems, expand attainable housing offerings, support world-class healthcare, enhance higher education and K-12 opportunities, and cultivate innovation hubs to accelerate South Florida’s dynamic business and cultural growth. The firm also curates entertainment programming and thought-leadership initiatives that position the region as a national center for ideas and experiences. Its portfolio spans mixed-use, Class AA+ lifestyle office, luxury residential, affordable housing, city centers, hotels and hospitality, and public realm, designed to anchor long-term economic vitality in the communities they build. Through the Related Ross Foundation, the company is focused on equitable growth that expands access to education, employment, and cultural vitality. For more information, visit www.relatedross.com.
About Embarc Collective
Embarc Collective, a 501c3 non-profit, is a central landing zone for the most driven and focused startup builders in Florida, ranked as a top startup support program in the world by UBI Global. Embarc Collective offers vetted, curated live and on-demand coaching and programming, an ever-growing repository of resources and frameworks, and access to a network of corporate customers and investors, all amongst a peer community of 300 founders and cofounders of 135+ early-stage tech startups and growth companies operating within an award-winning 32,000-square-foot startup hub in downtown Tampa, Florida. Since its launch in 2019, Embarc Collective member-companies have achieved a 96% survival rate, created 1,200+ high-paying tech and tech-enabled jobs, and raised more than $600M in angel, venture and growth equity, including more than half from investors outside the state of Florida. Annually, Embarc Collective’s Florida-based early-stage tech companies drive $100 million in direct economic returns to the state of Florida and attract more than $100 million annually in seed, venture, and growth equity investment capital, capital that is invested directly into Florida-based companies. For more information, visit www.embarccollective.com.
About Babcock Ranch
Created by Kitson & Partners with the philosophy that smart growth and sustainability work hand-in-hand, half of Babcock Ranch’s town’s footprint is set aside as greenways, parks and expansive lakes, providing recreation and scenic backdrops for homes and businesses. A top 10 best-selling master-planned community for four consecutive years, the town is planned for 20,000 residences and approximately 6,000,000 square feet of commercial space.
Built to Florida Green Building Coalition standards, homes emphasize energy and water conservation and have a full gig of fiber-optic connectivity. Prices range from the upper-$200,000s to $4 million.
For more information about Southwest Florida’s new hometown, located just northeast of Fort Myers off Babcock Ranch Road/State Road 31, visit the Woodlea Hall Discovery Center at 42850 Crescent Loop in Babcock Ranch, call 877-709-6620, or visit BabcockRanch.com and follow along on Facebook and Instagram.
About Truist
Truist Financial Corporation is a purpose-driven financial services company committed to inspiring and building better lives and communities. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Truist has leading market share in many of the high-growth markets in the U.S. and offers a wide range of products and services through wholesale and consumer businesses, including consumer and small business banking, commercial and corporate banking, investment banking and capital markets, wealth management, payments, and specialized lending businesses. Truist is a top-10 commercial bank with total assets of $544 billion as of June 30, 2025. Truist Bank, Member FDIC. Learn more at Truist.com.
About GuideWell
GuideWell comprises Florida's Blue Cross Blue Shield plan, Florida Blue, which is the leading health insurer in Florida; Triple-S Management, Puerto Rico's Blue Cross Blue Shield plan and a leading health care services company on the island; GuideWell Health, a portfolio of integrated care delivery organizations providing primary and urgent care at more than 100 Florida medical centers and affiliate clinics, including Florida Blue | Sanitas Medical Centers, GuideWell Emergency Medical Doctors, and Florida Health Care Plans. Other GuideWell subsidiaries include GuideWell Source, which provides administrative services to federal health care programs, and WebTPA, a market leading administrator of self-funded employer health plans. GuideWell also has a majority stake in several health solutions companies, including Lucet, a behavioral health care company that offers tech-enabled support to payers, providers, and health plan members, as well as home-based, whole-person care for high-risk patients.
GuideWell serves nearly 36 million customers across 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, including more than 6 million customers in Florida. For more information, visit www.guidewell.com.
About Tampa General Hospital
Tampa General Hospital, Florida’s premier academic health system, is a 1,530-bed not-for-profit network providing hospital and outpatient care across the state. As the only provider of Level I trauma and comprehensive burn care for a 23-county region, Tampa General delivers world-class care through Tampa General Hospital, Tampa General Rehabilitation Hospital, Tampa General Behavioral Health Hospital, and hospitals in Brooksville, Spring Hill, and Crystal River.
Ranked the #1 hospital in Tampa Bay by U.S. News & World Report for 2025-2026, Tampa General has six specialties among the nation’s top 50 and five additional specialties ranked in the top 10% nationally. A national leader in innovation, it was the first hospital in Florida to open a clinical command center and now uses advanced analytics and artificial intelligence to improve care coordination across inpatient and outpatient settings. Its commitment to team members has also earned recognition from Forbes as one of America’s Best Large Employers, one of the Best Employers by State, and one of America’s Best Employers for Women.
As the region’s safety-net hospital, Tampa General provided approximately $289.1 million in community benefit in fiscal year 2024. It is one of the nation’s leading adult solid organ transplant centers, the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, and home to Florida’s largest neuroscience intensive care unit on the state’s west coast. Tampa General also includes Muma Children’s Hospital, an 82-bed neonatal intensive care unit, a nationally accredited rehabilitation center, three hospitals in Citrus and Hernando counties, primary care and imaging centers, virtual health services, and urgent care locations across the region. For more information, visit Tampa General Hospital.
Media Contact: Amber Statler, amber@mcnicholas.biz, (954) 649-9840
