26 West Center

Entrepreneurs...

YOU'RE Home.

IT ALL HAPPENS HERE

Consider this your invitation to the extraordinary. We don’t do average, and neither should you.
If you’ve got drive, we’ve got your back. No fancy MBA required.

Built For Business. Built For You.

Entrepreneurship Academy

Learn hands-on business skills that apply to the real world — taught by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs.

Personal Branding Lab

Build soft skills that transform teams into powerful brand ambassadors. Current workforce and future workforce programs are available.

Business Growth Lab

From community workspaces to event venues, find an impressive space to enhance your brand.

The Digital Collective

Full-service marketing, web design, social media, and production services that make your business brand impossible to ignore.

Event Space

Flexible spaces designed for your biggest moments. From intimate events to full-scale festivals — if you can dream it, we can host it.

LAUNCH! Student Incubator

Shaping tomorrow’s entrepreneurs today by instilling a culture of innovation. Helping high school and college students adopt a growth mindset.

This is 26 West

Entrepreneurs who walk the talk

Addy Award Icon
Golden Campaign Featured Image

Bradenton Area EDC Golden Campaign

Project: Brand Refresh & Campaign Development

Overview: The Bradenton Area EDC drives economic growth in Manatee County by attracting, supporting, and connecting businesses.

Challenge: Rebrand to appeal to a wide audience — from international companies to local partners — while clearly communicating objectives and standing out in a competitive space.

Solution: Developed a bold brand campaign positioning the Bradenton Area as a prime business destination.

Results: An award-winning brand kit now integrated across all EDC marketing — from business cards to digital ads, and outreach materials. The branded gift box received an Addy Award from the Suncoast chapter of the American Advertising Federation.

Bradenton Area Arts & Music Festival - BAM!Fest

Project: Animated Promotional Video

Overview: Realize Bradenton launched BAM!Fest to spotlight Downtown Bradenton’s arts scene and support redevelopment efforts along the Riverwalk.

Challenge: As a first-time event with no prior materials or brand recognition, marketing needed to spark interest and clearly convey the festival’s concept.

Solution: Created a 30-second animated video to capture the event’s energy and give audiences a vivid preview of what to expect.

Results: The video premiered with nearly 1,000 views across social media, generating buzz and public awareness for the inaugural event.

Insurance for Students (IFS)

Project: Brand Repositioning & Website Development

Overview: IFS has delivered student insurance solutions for over 30 years across K–12, higher ed, and international markets.

Challenge: Following a merger with FutureHealth, IFS needed a unified brand and digital presence.

Solution: Launched a rebrand with a new visual identity and a streamlined, custom website tailored to both B2B and B2C users.

Results: A refreshed brand, improved user experience, and consolidated platform for students and administrators.

Addy Award Icon

26 West Food + Wine Festival

Project: Event Branding, Planning & Marketing

Overview: The 26 West Entrepreneurship Center hosted 30+ local hospitality entrepreneurs to spotlight the region’s food scene and support State College of Florida’s Hospitality & Tourism program.

Challenge: Promote local businesses, raise awareness for 26 West, and generate support for future hospitality leaders.

Solution: Developed full event branding with a landing page, digital/print ads, video, and swag to engage the community and drive attendance.

Results: Over 250 attendees surpassed goals, and the promotional flyer earned an Addy Award from AAF Suncoast.

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Charley's World Collage

Charley’s World (Fox 29)

The grand finale of our GrowBiz@26 West program! Six Founders pitched their business ideas to a panel of judges, all for a chance to take their business to the next level.

GrowBiz Featured Image

GrowBiz@ 26 West 2024 (Cohort 1)

GrowBiz@26 West is a uniqueopportunity for a select group of entrepreneurs in theBradenton-Sarasota Community to grow or launchtheir businesses. Through GrowBiz the foundersattended workshops, one-on-one consultations fromspecially paired instructor coaches, and receivedmarketing assistance from The Digital Collective. 

Sarasota County Connect

in partnership with Sarasota EDC, North Port EDC, Wellen Park

As an expansion into North Port, the 26 West Center partnered with the Sarasota and North Port Economic Development Corporations as well as Wellen Park to host a series of workshops and classes throughout 2024.

Ted X Bradenton In Creative Studio
Ted X Time capsule

TEDx Bradenton
– AI-Powered Brain Break

TEDxBradenton sought a venueand future-focused partner to engage the annualTEDxBradenton attendees in the 2023 theme of“Writing the Future.” The event included threeinteractive elements: handwritten notes to thenext generation and an immersive AI-poweredexperiences to see and hear the future in the 26West Creative Studio and Music Tech Studio. TheAI-powered content was captured in a digital timecapsule (landing page) while the handwrittennotes are stored in a time capsule on display in the26 West Center to be opened in 26 years onSeptember 29, 2049.

26 West F+W

26 West Food + Wine Festival

The grand finale of our GrowBiz@26 West program! Six Founders pitched their business ideas to a panel of judges, all for a chance to take their business to the next level.
Holiday MarkIt

Holiday Mark-It

To support local businesses and increasebrand awareness for National Entrepreneurship Month, the 26 West Entrepreneurship Center created a one-day pop-upshop showcasing 35+ local businesses. Marketing effortsresonated with the community as over 400 people attendedthe event. 

The Pitch

The Pitch

The grand finale of our GrowBiz@26 West program! Six Founders pitched their business ideas to a panel of judges, all for a chance to take their business to the next level.