FloridaCommerce Looking Back on 2025

As FloridaCommerce looks back on 2025, they celebrate a year of momentum and progress. Here are some highlights:

• Florida has reached 95.1% high speed, modern broadband connectivity speeds across the state, up from 56.3% in 2018—massively closer to the overall goal of getting to 100% connectivity by 2030. 

• FloridaCommerce and other state partners invested a total of $46.7 million to reopen Calhoun-Liberty Hospital.

• FloridaCommerce worked with local economic development organizations, public-private partners and other state agencies to establish 61 new economic development projects—creating 12,199 jobs and generating more than $5.4 billion in capital investment. 

• Florida delivered results in Wakulla County—announcing 300 new high-wage jobs with Point Blank Enterprises through targeted infrastructure investments supported by the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund and the Rural Infrastructure Fund.

• FloridaCommerce launched the Rural Community Investment Program (RCIP), providing a 25% tax credit to qualified investment funds investing in small businesses in rural businesses.

• Governor DeSantis’ 2025-2026 Budget fully repealed the business rent tax and delivered $1.7 billion in savings for entrepreneurs from Wauchula to West Palm, from Niceville to Newberry and from Baldwin to Bartow.

• FloridaCommerce awarded $1.5 million awarded to support local economic growth in 26 small and rural communities through the Community Planning Technical Assistance Grant and the Competitive Florida Partnership Grant Programs.

• Florida became the first state in the nation to obtain up to 100% wage reimbursement for On-the-Job Training (OJT) for Opportunity Zones.

• Williams International and the State of Florida announced a major capital investment expected to total more than $1 billion in Okaloosa County.

• SpaceX announced a $1.8 billion investment, building a new Starship Gigabay facility—creating an estimated 600 jobs on the Space Coast by 2030.

• FloridaCommerce awarded more than $47 million to 32 small and rural communities through the Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Program—supporting critical infrastructure improvements across the state.

• The State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) reached a milestone of $250 million in approved loans and investments.

• FloridaCommerce awarded more than $3.7 million to support and strengthen Florida's military base communities.

Source: FloridaCommerce | LinkedIn