Top 10 Reasons to Do
Business in Florida
From workforce talent to low taxes to global connections, Florida
offers extraordinary business advantages to growing companies.
- Growth Economy
Florida's economic engine continues to run smoothly and power-
fully. Florida has long led the U.S. in job creation, and the
state's overall economy is the fastest growing among the 10
largest states. Florida's tax structure is rated as one of the
most business-friendly. And, there is no state personal income
tax.
- Technology Leadership
Florida has a robust base of technology-driven businesses and a
significant and growing presence in numerous new economy
sectors. Those sectors include life sciences, information
technology, aviation/aerospace, homeland security/defense and
financial/professional services.
- Global Gateway
Florida is at the strategic and economic center of the Americas.
Location, economic might and political stability make Florida
the hub of trade and finance throughout the hemisphere. The
Miami area has often been called the business center of Latin
America. Florida's international trade grew to more than $81
billion in 2004 and is on pace for continued record-breaking
growth. More than 815,000 Floridians, including a large
multilingual workforce, are employed in international business
activity statewide.
- Entrepreneurial Environment
Florida is home to the nation's second National Entrepreneurial
Center, and the state hosts a variety of tech incubators,
accelerators and university-based research entities that bring
business and academia together to commercialize new discoveries.
Florida has one of the highest rates of business formation in
the United States.
- World Connectivity
Florida has one of the world's most extensive and well-planned
transportation systems, with 20 major airports, 14 deepwater
shipping ports, an extensive highway and rail network and
Kennedy Space Center's unique Spaceport. The state also is an
international leader in digital connectivity, with massive
Internet capacity enabling high-speed data transfer globally.
- Unique Business Climate
Florida offers incentives for job creation, investment and
training, and also for locating in rural and urban sites,
Enterprise Zones or Brownfields areas. The state provides
expedited permitting services and assistance in accessing
enterprise bonds, micro-loans and venture capital.
- Workforce Talent
As the fourth most populous state, Florida has a diverse,
skilled and available workforce. Florida's universities and
colleges produce high quality graduates eager for success, while
state-sponsored workforce training programs give both new and
experienced workers access to skills training for new economy
jobs.
- Business-Friendly Government
Florida's state and local governments provide most vital
business functions online. There is excellent and continuing
communication between various lawmakers and business sector
associations, including the Florida Aviation Aerospace Alliance,
the Florida Defense Alliance, BioFlorida, IT Florida, the
Florida Research Consortium and many other trade groups.
- Quality of Life
Beautiful weather and sunshine combine with economic opportunity
to make Florida one of the world's most desirable places to
live. As the world's top travel destination with about 80
million tourists annually, Florida's splendid climate leads many
visitors to choose the state as their permanent home -- the
"play here, stay here" trend. And Florida offers a very
competitive cost of living.
- Visionary Development
More than any other state, Florida's economic development goals
have been embraced as part of a statewide vision. Economic
development organizations coordinate efforts to help existing
and prospective businesses find the right location(s) to match
their needs.
|
