Start a New Business in Florida

The Division of Corporations is the State’s central location for informational resources related to statewide business activities, registrations and certificates. The Division provides sole proprietors and companies with the legal right to do business in the state of Florida.

Resources include the ability to search records, understand how to start a business, managing and changing an existing business such as dissolving a business and certifications, forms and filing fees, authentications, notaries, and other services.

The Centre of Tallahassee
2415 N. Monroe Street
Suite 810
Tallahassee, Florida 32303
Phone: 850-245-6000

Florida Department of State Division of Corporations website

The U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is the only federal agency solely dedicated to the growth and global competitiveness of minority business enterprises.

MBDA invests in a national network of MBDA Business Centers, Specialty Centers, and Grantees, including the one in Miami. Programs offer customized business development and industry-focused services to provide greater access to capital, contracts and markets.

Clients are U.S. minority business enterprises (MBEs) owned and operated by African Americans, Asian Americans, Hasidic Jews, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, and Pacific Islanders.

MBDA connects MBEs to private lenders, including banks, mutual funds, and investors. MBDA prepares and promotes MBEs to public and private sector buyers. MBDA positions MBEs to expand their client base and operations to global markets.

970 SW 1St. Street
Suite 406
Miami, Florida 33130
Phone: 786-515-0670

Minority Business Development Agency MBDA Miami website

North Florida and South Florida locations provide help with SBA services including funding programs, counseling, federal contracting certifications, and disaster recovery. They can also connect you to partner organizations, lenders, and other community groups that help small businesses succeed.

The North Florida Jacksonville office serves Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Calhoun, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Marion, Nassau, Okaloosa, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Suwannee, St. Johns, Taylor, Union, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton, and Washington counties.

The North Florida Orlando location serves Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Orange, Seminole, and Sumter counties.

The South Florida Miami office serves Lee, Hendry, Collier, Broward, Monroe, and Miami-Dade counties.

The South Florida Ft. Pierce office serves Brevard, Osceola, Indian River, St. Lucie, Highlands, Martin, Glades, Palm Beach, and Okeechobee counties.

The South Florida Tampa office serves Pasco, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk, Manatee, Hardee, Sarasota, Charlotte, and DeSoto counties.

North Florida locations:
Main office
7825 Baymeadows Way
Suite 100B
Jacksonville, Florida 32256
Phone: 904-443-1900

U.S. Small Business Administration North Florida website

Orlando
Phone: 407-648-2891

South Florida locations:
Main office
51 SW 1st Avenue
Suite 201
Miami, Florida 33130
Phone: 305-536-5521

U.S. Small Business Administration South Florida website

Ft. Pierce
Phone: 305-536-5844

Tampa
777 South Harbour Island Boulevard
Suite 215
Tampa, Florida 33602
Phone: 305-536-5527

The Florida Women’s Business Center (FLWBC) assists women in achieving their dreams by helping them start, run, and grow successful businesses, regardless of social or financial disadvantage, race, ethnicity, or business background.

As a resource partner of the Small Business Administration's (SBA) Office of Women's Business Ownership (OWBO), the FLWBC aims to foster the participation of women entrepreneurs in the economy and to help women compete and succeed in today's global marketplace.

FLWBC’s primary objectives are to provide training, counseling, mentoring, resources, referrals, and support to women entrepreneurs.

Areas of assistance include but are not limited to Business Start-Up, Business Plan Development, Business Recovery, Funding, Marketing, Accounting, Operations and Strategic Planning.

No matter where an individual falls in the business cycle, FLWBC is poised to help. From concept to profitability, the FLWBC counsels, teaches, encourages, and inspires.

Primary Office:
401 West Atlantic Avenue
Suite O9
Delray Beach, Florida 33444
Phone: 561-265-3790

Satellite office:
6241 North Dixie Highway
#A
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33334
Phone: 561-265-3790

Florida Women’s Business Center FLWBC website

The Jacksonville Women’s Business Center (JWBC) is dedicated to expanding the entrepreneurial and economic development of women business owners and leaders in Northeast Florida.

JWBC provides an innovative and valuable educational experience that enables women in business to make sound decisions and develop the infrastructure to facilitate business growth and prosperity.

The Jacksonville Women’s Business Center is a program of the Jacksonville Chamber Foundation, Inc. a 501(c)(3) organization. The Women’s Business Center is funded in part through a cooperative agreement between the U.S. Small Business Administration and the JAX Chamber Foundation.

JAX Chamber Foundation
3 Independent Drive
Jacksonville, Florida 32202
Phone: 904-366-6640

Jacksonville Women’s Business Center website

​Located at the Helen Gordon Davis Centre for Women, the Tampa Bay Women’s Business Centre helps female entrepreneurs launch and grow successful businesses by providing free business coaching, webinars, mastermind groups, networking opportunities and access to financial resources.

Since 2013, the Tampa Bay Women’s Business Centre has been the only SBA-designated women’s business centre on the West Coast of Florida. They provide free business coaching services to entrepreneurs in Hillsborough, Hernando, Pinellas, Polk, Pasco and Manatee counties.

305 South Hyde Park Avenue
Tampa, Florida 33606
Phone: 813-251-8437

The Tampa Bay Women’s Business Centre website

weVENTURE is the Women’s Business Center at Florida Tech Bisk College of Business.

weVENTURE provides free one-on-one business consultations, low and no-cost business education seminars and workshops, IGNITE 360 Mentoring Program and Peer Groups, purposeful networking events, and leadership development opportunities for professional women.

The non-profit program is part of the Nathan M. Bisk College of Business on the campus of Florida Tech and has trained over 15,500 clients, helped over 180 business owners grow and expand their businesses through the IGNITE 360 Mentoring Program, helped clients to create and maintain local jobs, and increase revenues.

2202 South Babcock Street
1st Floor
Melbourne, Florida 32901
Phone: 321-674-7007

weVENTURE at Florida Institute of Technology website

Enterprise Florida, Inc. - EFI - works to expand and diversify the state's economy through private-sector job creation.

As a public-private partnership of business and government leaders, EFI’s goal is to promote Florida as a premier business destination and expand the state’s economy through private-sector job creation. In pursuit of this mission, EFI works closely with a statewide network of economic development partners.

EFI serves as the state’s primary entity for trade and export development supporting more than 60,000 Florida exporting businesses. The organization also assists small and minority businesses through its capital programs, supports Florida’s defense industry through the Florida Defense Alliance and Florida Defense Support Task Force, and champions sport industry growth through the Florida Sport Foundation.

Enterprise Florida website

Orlando
800 North Magnolia Avenue
Suite 1100
Orlando, Florida 32803
Phone: 407-956-5600

Tallahassee
101 North Monroe Street
Suite 1000
Tallahassee, Florida 32301
Phone: 850-298-6620

Miami
201 Alhambra Circle
Suite 610
Coral Gables, Florida 33134
Phone: 305-808-3660

Domi is a non-profit business incubator and coworking space offering programs, resources, and events that help entrepreneurs start and scale sustainable companies.

At Domi Station small business owners (or aspiring ones) can participate in entrepreneur programs to help accelerate your growth.

Domi supports Tallahassee and Leon County businesspeople who want to pursue their dreams and build their local community.

Domi Station
914 Railroad Avenue
Tallahassee, Florida 32310
Phone: 850-391-8758

Domi Station website

From Pensacola to Key West, the Florida SBDC serves small businesses in all of Florida’s 67 counties by providing convenient access to no-cost consulting and training, affordable and high-quality resources, innovative tools, and the knowledge of experienced small business experts.

Featured consulting services include business and strategic planning, business management, financial analysis, marketing, capital access, international trade, government contracting, cybersecurity, and disaster preparedness and recovery.

Florida SBDC at the University of West Florida can be reached at 850-474-2528 and serves Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton, and Washington counties.

Florida SBDC at Florida A&M University can be reached at 850-599-3407 and serves Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, and Wakulla counties.

Florida SBDC at the University of North Florida can be reached at 904-620-2476 and serves Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Citrus, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Marion, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, Suwannee, and Union counties.

Florida SBDC at the University of Central Florida can be reached at 407-420-4850 and serves Brevard, Flagler, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia counties.

Florida SBDC at the University of South Florida can be reached at 813-396-2700 and serves DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota counties.

Florida SBDC at Florida Gulf Coast University can be reached at 239-745-3700 and serves Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee counties.

Florida SBDC at Indian River State College can be reached at 772-336-6285 and serves Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, and St. Lucie counties.

Florida SBDC at Florida Atlantic University can be reached at 954-762-5235 and serves Palm Beach and Broward counties

Florida SBDC at Florida International University can be reached at 305-779-9230 and serves Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.

State office:
University of West Florida
220 West Garden Street
Suite 302
Pensacola, Florida 32502
Phone: 850-898-3479

Florida Small Business Development Center SBDC website

Loans, investment capital, disaster assistance, surety bonds, and grants to start and grow a business as well as to recover from a disaster.

United States Small Business Administration SBA website

The Florida High Tech Corridor Council accelerates collaborative research and innovation and connects industry partners with research universities through matching grants.

The Florida High Tech Corridor’s Matching Grants Research Program (MGRP) fosters applied research between industry partners, and faculty and student researchers at the University of Central Florida and University of South Florida. Grants directly fund the work of expert faculty and create an opportunity for their students to participate in collaborative research with industry partners in the 23-county region.

Florida High Tech Corridor Council website

Miami Herbert Business School provides exceptional experiential learning opportunities for future business leaders. Programs include undergraduate, graduate, executive, and doctoral in business technology, a global focus, and startup activities.

Miami Herbert reinvents executive education in partnership with a select group of high-performing, high-growth corporate clients. Comprehensive and fully customizable, executive education programs cater to your specific company and industry needs. This tailored approach allows you to work closely with the world-renowned faculty to co-create a unique program to fit your goals.

For professionals who want to master their leadership skills and advance their careers, the business school also offer certificate programs, boot camps and an MS in Leadership, all of which can be completed in under a year.

5250 University Drive
Coral Gables, Florida 33146
Phone: 305-284-1354

University of Miami Herbert Business School website

The UCF Business Incubation Program (UCFBIP) provides business development and operational support to early-stage, technology and innovation-driven businesses throughout Central Florida.

The UCFBIP is a non-profit community resource offering three programs that are each designed to help businesses at different stages.

The Traction Program helps new technology and innovation-driven companies with little to no revenue to build the operational foundation of the business and develop a go-to-market strategy to cultivate an initial customer base.

The Growth Program helps technology and innovation-driven companies with existing traction in the market to develop the infrastructure for scaling their business.

The Soft Landing Program helps international technology and innovation-driven companies headquartered outside the region to support their business development efforts from Central Florida.

UCF operates eight incubators across four counties. Many of these facilities serve a broad range of industries. However, the incubators located within UCF’s Innovation Districts support companies within specific industry verticals. The Innovation District incubators and their respective industry clusters are:

CENTRAL FLORIDA RESEARCH PARK: Defense/Military, Modeling Simulation and Training, Cybersecurity, Photonics, Robotics, Energy, Space

DOWNTOWN: Digital Media, Smart City Technology, FinTech, EdTech, Hospitality and Tourism Tech

LAKE NONA: Life Sciences, Healthcare, Medical Simulation

3259 Progress Drive
Orlando, Florida 32826
Phone: 407-635-9880

University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program website

The Warrington College of Business encompasses:

Heavener School of Business: One of the nation’s top-ranked undergraduate public business schools, Heavener offers bachelor’s degrees in Finance, General Business, Management, Information Systems & Operations Management, and Marketing.

Fisher School of Accounting: The Fisher School of Accounting, one of the nation’s few free-standing accounting schools, provides a detailed focus on the complex skill of accounting. Students in the program experience a curriculum dedicated to growth in an intricate field and success in their careers.

Hough Graduate School of Business: Teamwork and collaboration are core concepts of the Hough experience. The blending of competitiveness and motivation fosters a unique atmosphere where students are pushed to their limits and can achieve excellence.

1384 Union Road Bryan
Hall 100
Gainesville, Florida 32611
Phone: 352-392-2397

University of Florida Warrington College of Business website

The Florida International University College of Business prepares Undergraduate and Graduate Business students, as well as life-long executive learners, for leadership roles in the global market.

Undergraduate programs offer traditional, online, and blended courses, including the international business program.

Graduate programs provide international market knowledge and complex technology and collaborative skills.

PhD programs provide you with the methodological and analytical tools to master all three to build your rewarding academic career.

The Doctoral program is designed for working senior-level professionals who aspire a postgraduate degree in business without sacrificing their careers.

Business executives gain a competitive edge with customized executive programs that address today’s priorities, issues and objectives.

Global Initiatives is responsible for the international aspects for the College of Business. These programs include study abroad, short term inbound and outbound programs and dual degrees.

Modesto A. Maidique Campus
11200 South West 8th Street
Miami, Florida 33199-0001
Phone: 305-348-2751

Florida International University College of Business website

South Florida Business Journal delivers the latest breaking business news, updated throughout the day, this week's top stories from the South Florida Business Journal, and other popular features from the print edition.

Topics include the latest business news, commercial real estate, people on the move, banking and financial services, BizSpotlight, technology, healthcare, food and lifestyle, and Miami innovation.

80 South West 8th Street
Suite 2710
Miami, Florida 33130
Phone: 786-533-8200

South Florida Business Journal website

For 65 years, Florida Trend Magazine has reported on the people and issues that have defined Florida and shaped its future — from H. Lee Moffitt to Gov. Ron DeSantis; from Tropicana to Tech Data; from small businesses to international conglomerates; from workers comp to tort reform.

Stories focus on the latest business news, healthcare, education, real estate, movers and influencers, law and politics, and the Florida 500 highlighting the 500 most influential executives in different economic sectors throughout the state.

490 1st Ave South
St Petersburg, Florida 33701
Phone: 727-821-5800

Florida Trend Magazine website

The Business Observer is the leading provider of business and economic information affecting the Gulf Coast from Tampa Bay to Naples. It reports on the region’s industry and economic trends; emerging companies; corporate strategies; identifying and profiling the region’s up-and-coming entrepreneurs and top business leaders; and keeping its readers up on state, regional and local government actions affecting business and the economy.

The Business Observer covers an area that encompasses more than 90,000 businesses. It is committed to providing business owners, senior executives, entrepreneurs, investors and public policy makers with the Gulf Coast’s most authoritative and relevant business information through its weekly print content and daily through its website and daily e-newsletter.

1970 Main Street
Third Floor
Sarasota, Florida 34236
Phone: 941-362-4848

Business Observer website

Northwest Florida, from Monticello to Pensacola, has one of the Sunshine State’s brightest and most powerful economies. 850 Magazine tells the story of the region’s exciting emergence in state, national and international marketplaces through insightful features, in-depth corridor spotlight stories and comprehensive articles on business trends and perspectives. 850 focuses on the latest business news, industry features, growth, leadership, innovation, and regional business news.

118 North Monroe Street
Suite 401
Tallahassee, Florida 32301
Phone: 850-878-0554

850 Business Magazine website