Florida
State Resources
Apart from attracting millions of tourists annually, Florida is also home to 21 military installations and two of NASA’s main facilities: the Kennedy Space Center and the Cape Canaveral Space Force Center. The Florida Commerce Division of Economic Development is responsible for providing” support for attracting out-of-state businesses to Florida, promoting the creation and expansion of Florida businesses and facilitating Florida’s economic development partnerships.” Florida has implemented a decentralized approach to economic development, focusing on decisions by local level development offices rather than as a state agency. The state does, however, offer businesses a corporate income tax credit for research expenses related to advanced industries like aerospace and aviation, homeland security and defense, manufacturing, and more.
The State Small Business Credit Initiative
This multi-year initiative was approved in September 2022 as part of an initiative to cultivate a business-friendly environment in Florida. “FloridaCommerce announced the approval of the state SSBCI application by the United States Department of the Treasury (U.S. Treasury) for $488 million in funding. Funding is available from U.S. Treasury in three tranches, and the first tranche of funding – $142 million – is ready for deployment.” For small business funding may be used for a variety of endeavors including: start-up costs, the purchase of equipment and inventory and other costs described on this site. According to a July 2025 article, the SSBCI has “invested over $202 million in loans and venture investments distributed to small businesses statewide since January 2023.” Interested small business are requested to register for more information on this site.
The Florida Opportunity Fund
The Florida Opportunity Fund is the venture partner of the SSBCI. It invests in Life Sciences & Medical Devices, Clean Energy, SpaceTech, Aerospace and Defense, Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics , and Other Emerging Technologies. According to their “Open Door Pitch Sessions” they are very open to scheduling meetings with businesses in their investment areas.
FloridaMakes Manufacturing Extension Program (MEP)
For companies that are either just embarking on low rate production or experienced firms looking to improve efficiency, FloridaMakes (Orlando) offers a range of services, from holistic performance assessments, continuous improvement evaluations, and supply chain optimization to standards/regulatory compliance and talent development.
Florida High Tech Corridor Council
The Florida High Tech Corridor Council uniquely matches direct cash investments from regional industry partners—up to $150,000 per project—to fund applied research conducted at the University of Central Florida (UCF), University of South Florida (USF), and University of Florida (UF).
Conferences that provide Networking Opportunities
For small businesses working on technologies for the Department of Defense or NASA, the large number of conferences held annually in Florida, provide networking opportunities.
January 11-15, 2027 in Orlando
The annual SpaceCom | Space Congress, Commercial Space Week Expo, Space Mobility Conference, and the GSA Spaceport Summit are held in Orlando.
January 12-15, 2027 in Orlando
Defense Manufacturing Conference
March 2027 in Orlando
Military Additive Manufacturing Summit & Technology Showcase
January 26-28, 2027 in Tampa
Special Operations Forces (SOF) Week
May 3-6, 2027 in Tampa
