He was a dual enrollment student at Polk State College and George Jenkins High School in 2019 when he walked into Catapult’s Co.Starters program with an idea for a customizable screen protector — a product that shows licensed or personal designs when a phone is off and disappears when the display is on.
In 2025, Catapult served 280 businesses, including Screen Skinz. In total, these companies generated more than $27 million in revenue and employed 303 people last year, according to the organization.
The Lakeland Economic Development Council (LEDC) created Catapult to foster the growth of local startups in 2014.
Entrepreneurs often possess the grit and motivation to build regardless of environment, said Christin Strawbridge, Catapult’s president. But the business incubator provides access to mentorship, shared infrastructure, and capital pathways, which can shape how quickly a company grows.
What is Catapult?
Located downtown near Lake Mirror — part co-working space, part business incubator — Catapult provides workspace, mentorship, and specialized facilities for early-stage founders trying to turn ideas into operating companies…