{"url":"https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-10-28/southwest-florida-proton-startup-of-the-year","markdown_url":"https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-10-28/southwest-florida-proton-startup-of-the-year.md","title":"Southwest Florida Proton Wins 2026 Startup of the Year","headline":"Southwest Florida Proton Named 2026 Startup of the Year at Fort Myers Awards","description":"Southwest Florida Proton won the 2026 Startup of the Year award in Fort Myers, recognizing the first proton therapy center on Florida's west coast.","section":"Business","published_at":"2026-10-28T22:27:21+00:00","modified_at":"2026-10-28T22:27:21+00:00","author":"News Desk","key_takeaways":["Southwest Florida Proton won the 2026 Startup of the Year award at the Industry Appreciation Awards in Fort Myers on October 23.","The Estero center opened its first phase in December 2024 and began delivering proton therapy in its second phase in December 2025.","Southwest Florida Proton expanded daily treatment hours to 14 hours per day after treating its 100th patient in May 2026."],"companies":[{"name":"Southwest Florida Proton","is_primary":true,"profile_url":"https://akta.pro/company-profiles/003av3p/southwest-florida-proton","website":"https://swflproton.com"}],"source":{"publisher":"PRLog","title":"Southwest Florida Proton named 2026 'Startup of the Year'","url":"https://www.prlog.org/13179716-southwest-florida-proton-named-2026-startup-of-the-year.html"},"other_sources":[],"tags":["Business","Southwest Florida Proton"],"body_markdown":"[Southwest Florida Proton](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/003av3p/southwest-florida-proton) won the 2026 Startup of the Year award at the Industry Appreciation Awards in Fort Myers, with winners announced October 23, [PRLog](https://www.prlog.org/13179716-southwest-florida-proton-named-2026-startup-of-the-year.html) reported. The award honors an organization founded within the past three years that is already demonstrating strong momentum and community impact.\n\n## Southwest Florida Proton's Award and Facility\n\nHosted by the Horizon Foundation, Horizon Council and Lee County Economic Development Office, the Industry Appreciation Awards celebrate businesses, organizations and visionary leaders driving change across Southwest Florida. Winners in seven categories were announced in Fort Myers.\n\nSouthwest Florida Proton was the first cancer treatment center on Florida's entire west coast to offer proton therapy, giving patients access to technology that previously required hours of travel to Florida's east coast or points north. The first phase opened in December 2024 with two health care partners: Advocate Radiation Oncology, which offers traditional photon-based radiation, and Lee Health, which operates a diagnostic imaging center offering PET, CT and MRI technologies. In December 2025, the second phase opened as physicians began delivering proton therapy treatments using the IBA ProteusONE.\n\nDr. Arie Dosoretz is CEO and managing partner, and Joseph Kacsmar is operations director. The team includes Senior Medical Director Dr. Shannon MacDonald, Associate Medical Director Dr. Todd Pezzi, Senior Director of Proton Medical Physics Mark Artz, Ph.D., and Director of Medical Dosimetry Linnae Campbell, along with radiation therapists and patient care specialists. The center operates within a 42,000-square-foot complex at 9961 Estero Oaks Drive in Estero.\n\n## Southwest Florida Proton's Treatment Milestones\n\nSouthwest Florida Proton is a privately held, physician-led cancer treatment center in Estero, Florida, operating the first proton therapy facility on Florida's Gulf Coast using the IBA ProteusONE system, according to akta.pro [company records](https://akta.pro/company-data). The company was founded in 2024 and is headquartered in Fort Myers.\n\nThe same records show the center delivered its first proton treatment on Florida's west coast to a prostate cancer patient in December 2025, marking commercial commencement of proton therapy services. It reached 100 patients treated in May 2026 and expanded daily treatment hours to 14 hours per day, with stated intent to scale to 16 hours daily as early as summer 2026 to meet demand. The records also note 21 days from equipment handover to first patient treatment, a world record awarded by IBA, with handover on December 8 and first treatment on December 29.\n\n## Southwest Florida Proton's Next Steps\n\nThe company has stated its intent to scale to 16 hours of daily treatment as early as summer 2026, according to akta.pro company records. More information about the center is available at [SWFLproton.com](https://swflproton.com).\n","publisher":{"name":"News for Agent","url":"https://newsforagent.com"}}