Certified incubators and collaborative business resources help founders grow companies.
by Savannah Yawn
When Apricot joined The Verge OKC in 2024, the Oklahoma City startup had a clear ambition: Build and scale a technology company without leaving Oklahoma.
Less than two years later, the company has moved from The Verge’s state-certified incubator into its own independent office space, created more than 35 jobs and built its tech team locally.
For The Verge OKC, the milestone offers a visible example of what the state’s entrepreneurial support system is designed to do: Help founders turn early ideas into companies with jobs, revenue and staying power.
“What we’re building at Apricot matters,” says Amanda Turk, co-founder and head of product & operations at Apricot. “We’re solving meaningful problems in healthcare that directly impact patients and the people who care for them — and we’re doing it intentionally from Oklahoma City. We strongly believe you can build technology that drives real outcomes and lasting change here in Oklahoma. We’re proud to be creating high-quality jobs, building our team locally, and continuing to hire exceptional people as we scale. This is just the beginning of the impact we believe Apricot can have — in healthcare and in our community.”
That story is becoming more familiar across Oklahoma, where incubators and entrepreneurship support organizations are helping founders find workspace, mentorship, capital access, peer networks and practical guidance.
“Building a business is often lonely work, but much like it takes a village to raise a child, it takes one to create a successful business,” says Nathan Friels, director of operations at The Verge OKC. “Incubators and ESOs (Entrepreneurship Support Organizations) act to be that village for the companies they support. We’ve all heard the statistics around failure rates for new businesses, but those who go through incubator programs are drastically less likely to fail. These organizations help fill the gaps for early-stage founders, providing expertise, connections and community that the founders don’t have on their own.”
In Oklahoma City, The Verge has supported more than 700 businesses and helped founders collectively raise more than $50 million in capital, according to Kristin Garcia, executive director of The Verge OKC. She says the organization is seeing momentum from a range of entrepreneurs, including AI-focused builders, health tech companies, creative services firms and service-based businesses finding new ways to scale.
“We’re seeing a real surge in AI-focused builders,” says Garcia. “Our Techlahoma Oklahom.ai community meetups are packed, alongside health tech, creative services and service-based businesses that are scaling in ways people didn’t think possible here. What’s showing up consistently is this: People who were told entrepreneurship wasn’t for them and that they’d need to move to Austin or San Francisco to be taken seriously. They are now building right here and winning.”
That same theme is emerging in Tulsa, where Gradient has become one of the state’s most visible examples of Oklahoma’s innovation economy. In 2026, Gradient received two honors from the International Business Innovation Association: Technology Entrepreneur Support Organization of the Year and the Randall Whaley Global ESO of the Year Award.
Devon Laney, President and CEO, Gradient
A 2025 impact report showed $1.76 billion in economic impact. In 2025, Gradient supported 493 businesses, and member businesses created more than 4,400 jobs.
Devon Laney, president and CEO of Gradient, says the recognition reflects more than the work of one organization.
“Being recognized by our peers globally is always meaningful, but I think this recognition does more than validate Gradient,” says Laney. “It shines a light on what is happening more broadly in Oklahoma and Tulsa. It shows that the entrepreneurs here, the resources here, the collaborations here and the talent here are on equal footing with entrepreneurs, resources, partners and programs in the more expected, traditional hubs.”
Founders need more than money, Laney says.
“Founders need capital, but they need more than capital,” he says. “They need community, connection, mentorship, infrastructure and the right support at the right time.”
Gradient-supported companies are working across healthcare, energy, advanced technology and data. Laney points to Zero Health, Tangram, Safety Radar, Active Chemicals and DataForge as examples of Oklahoma companies solving real business and industry problems. Tangram recently secured a major opportunity with NASA, while Zero Health is working to disrupt healthcare insurance for employers.
“There are several companies that represent the kind of innovation happening in Oklahoma right now, and what is exciting is that they are not all in the same sector,” says Laney. “We are seeing innovation in healthcare, energy, advanced technology, data and more.”
For entrepreneurs, Oklahoma’s appeal is not only about affordability, though cost remains an advantage. Garcia says founders benefit from a lower cost to operate and experiment, along with a business culture where relationships still matter.
Source: U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy, 2025 Small Business Profile: Oklahoma.