From life sciences to financial tech, aerospace to blockchain, Florida‘s sun-splashed landscapes have never looked so appealing to technology companies large and small.
"Florida really does have a compelling tech story unfolding across fintech, healthtech, insuretech, logistics and other high-growth sectors," notes Tampa Bay Economic Development Council CEO Craig Richard. "Both entrepreneurs and capital investors are now seeing Florida as the place where innovation can flourish."
Beyond tourism, Florida now boasts the nation’s third largest technology industry after California and Texas with over 33,000 tech companies generating a whopping $83 billion economic impact. Some are even dubbing Miami – with Mayor Francis Suarez wooing tech titans daily – as potentially "the next Silicon Valley."
According to Richard Florida director of the University of Toronto’s Martin Prosperity Institute, “Miami is an incredibly diverse, thriving city looking to tech to power its future.”
So which technology innovators today are driving Florida’s transformation into a top tech hub rivaling New York City, Boston and Austin? Let‘s analyze the key players:
With Miami positioning itself as a next-generation blockchain and cryptocurrency capital, Florida is now attracting Bitcoin miners from China plus financial technology innovators.
Yet long before the crypto-rush, these major public companies put Florida‘s tech landscape on the map while generating tens of billions in annual revenue:
L3Harris Technologies – Critical Communications and Computing for Air, Land and Sea
Operating from more headquarters just outside Orlando, L3Harris Technologies provides over $17 billion worth of communications, computing and other systems plus IT services to global defense, government and commercial customers annually.
- 50 Years of Innovation – Formed from a merger of L3 Technologies and Harris Corporation (originally founded in 1895), L3Harris now carries a market cap of over $43 billion.
- Customers/Contracts – L3Harris has key contracts with branches of the U.S. Department of Defense from the Army to Air Force. Recent international sales have supported fighter jet upgrades in Taiwan and communications upgrades in the Philippines.
- Leadership – Headed by CEO Christopher E. Kubasik, L3Harris leadership combines expertise from both L3 Technologies and Harris Corporation.
- Employees – With 48,000 staff across 100 locations globally, L3Harris is not only a huge Florida tech anchor but also one of the Space Coast region‘s largest private employers.
"Our steadfast commitment to innovation has remained constant over the company’s 126-year history,” said L3Harris CEO Kubasik. “As we look ahead, I couldn’t be more excited about our future."
Fidelity National Information Services (FIS) – Global Leader in Financial Services Technology
With 65,000 employees across over 20,000 clients globally, FIS generates around $14 billion in revenue annually from its Jacksonville HQ powering financial transactions worldwide.
- 53 Years Strong – Starting from a single Florida credit union in 1968, FIS now has #289 spot on the Fortune 500 list as they process thousands of transactions per second.
- Industry Trust – Nine of the top 10 global banks utilize FIS fintech solutions for banking, payments, capital markets and commerce. FIS also serves 95% of insurance companies on the Fortune 500 as a top provider of core administration systems.
- Recent Innovations – FIS and NYDIG recently partnered to enable U.S. banks to offer Bitcoin services more seamlessly. The company also continues to invest in fraud prevention and data analytics.
- Global Reach – Under CEO Gary Norcross, FIS has grown into a global fintech leader present in over 130 countries with 146,000 merchants and businesses relying on their payments solutions.
“As a Fortune 500 industry leader, FIS takes pride in our Jacksonville roots while enabling greater financial access worldwide,” says CEO Gary Norcross. “With emerging capabilities in areas like cryptocurrency, open banking APIs and real-time payments, we expect strong growth ahead.”
Roper Technologies – Diversified Innovator Across Medical, Industrial and Software Industries
Driving nearly $6 billion in annual revenue out of Sarasota since the early 1900s, Roper Technologies operates via four key segments: intelligent systems; measurement and analytical solutions; process technologies; and software.
- 110+ Year Legacy of Adapting Through Acquisitions – Founded by George D. Roper to build pumps and plumbing parts, Roper Technologies has repeatedly transformed over 12 decades through major acquisitions as diverse as camera pioneer Imagin and automation software developer Vertafore.
- Focus on Recurring Revenue From Software/Services – From medical software to enterprise compliance solutions, over half of Roper’s revenue now comes from software subscriptions delivering reliable recurring revenue.
- Leadership – Headed by CEO Neil Hunn, Roper continues to actively acquire innovative technologies to carry the currently $45 billion company into the future.
- Portfolio of Tech Subsidiaries – Roper owns over 40 individual tech companies including Deltek, PowerPlan, Foundry, Strata Decision Technology, CBORD, Micromeritics Instrument and many more.
”For over 110 years, Roper Technologies has continually sought technologies with strong competitive advantages that hold leading positions in niche markets globally,” said Roper CEO Hunn. “Leveraging software and recurring revenue, we expect robust growth ahead.”
In addition to publically traded heavyweights, these privately held technology innovators employ tens of thousands nationwide from their Florida headquarters:
Tech Data – Global Distributor Powering IT Infrastructure Worldwide
From its Clearwater roots since 1974, Tech Data generated a whopping $57 billion in revenue last year distributing technology hardware, software, solutions and services to over 150 leading manufacturers and thousands of B2B clients across the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific.
- IT Distribution Leader – Serving as a vital link between industry giants like Apple, Cisco, Dell, HP, IBM and Lenovo and regional resellers worldwide, Tech Data distributes servers, laptops, printers, networking gear, data center hardware and every IT component imaginable.
- Global Scale – Tech Data operates in over 100 countries with 14,000 employees under CEO Rich Hume. Apollo Global Management acquired Tech Data in 2020 to fold into their technology distribution portfolio.
- Driving Next-Gen Technology – Beyond legacy infrastructure, Tech Data also provides emerging tech like factory automation equipment, data analytics software, cloud solutions and cybersecurity tools to reseller partners globally.
"As IT infrastructure needs persistently evolve, Tech Data is in the unique position to prepare our B2B customers worldwide with the latest data center, security and cloud innovations," said CEO Rich Hume.
Jabil Circuit – Top Electronics Manufacturing Services Provider
Designing and manufacturing electronic components for major computer and device brands for over 50 years, Jabil Circuit today operates 100+ plants employing 260,000 people across 30+ countries generating $32 billion in annual revenue.
- Manufacturing Might – Providing electronics design, production and product management, Jabil counts Apple, Cisco, Dell, HP, Huawei, Siemens, and Samsung among partners trusting them for manufacturing services.
- Diversified Production – Jabil today serves aerospace, automotive, computing, healthcare, networking, storage and other markets producing an incredibly diverse array of enclosures, circuit boards, diagnostic tools, display screens and specialized electronic assemblies.
- Culture of Innovation – From Singapore to Hungary, Jabil’s Production Innovation Centers drive improvements in manufacturing speed, efficiency, quality control and sustainability across its global plant network.
“From St. Petersburg headquarters to factories across five continents, our early investments in analytics, automation and cleantech continue to pay dividends for global customers like Siemens,” said CEO Mark Mondello.
In 1977, a tech entrepreneur named John Sykes founded a small customer contact center in Charlotte, North Carolina. Despite meager beginnings, Sykes Enterprises evolved into a thriving multinational juggernaut over nearly 45 years based out of Tampa.
Sykes provides essential customer care, sales enablement, social media moderation and AI analytics to 95 of the Fortune 100 companies. Sitel Group‘s acquisition of Sykes last year created a customer experience titan with over 100,000 employees across 50 countries.
Like Sykes Enterprises, other innovative enterprises both large and small have organically risen out of Florida itself over recent decades:
Tech Data Corporation
Tech CEO Rich Hume notes that “from the Clearwater garage headquarters where our founder first launched operations in 1974, Tech Data has aggressively expanded into new global markets ever since while maintaining strong corporate roots in Tampa Bay."
Tech Data links major tech manufacturers like Apple and Lenovo with value-added resellers across over 100 countries. Apollo Global Management acquired tech distributor Tech Data in 2020 for $6 billion to fold into their broader portfolio.
Chekr
Founded in St. Petersburg in 2021, fast-growing startup Chekr seamlessly orchestrates background checks using machine learning and artificial intelligence. Chekr’s technology helps companies vet new employees, onboard contractors quicker and authenticate users automatically.
“We’re thrilled by the enthusiastic seed funding response to Chekr’s identity verification and compliance solutions from St. Pete,” said CEO Tessi Melvin. “Florida’s startup ecosystem has been crucial as we scale globally.”
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