Why this exists
I spent 20+ years building the startup ecosystem in Miami, and I kept wondering what was going on in other parts of my home state. I started one of the largest communities of entrepreneurs in the south east with Refresh Miami. I've always wanted a way to track what everyone is doing, so here we are.
Florida has one of the fastest-growing and most fragmented startup ecosystems in the country — fintech, crypto, and Latin-America-facing companies clustered in Miami; cybersecurity and health-tech around Tampa Bay; simulation, modeling, and training anchored in Orlando; fintech and logistics on Jacksonville's First Coast; deep research spilling out of the University of Florida in Gainesville; and aerospace and defense along the Space Coast. No single directory connects them.
A founder in Pensacola should know what's being built in Miami. An investor visiting Tampa should be able to see every company within an hour's drive. Press covering a raise out of Orlando should have a credible source list when something crosses their desk. That's what we're for.
How we work
The directory is curated. Every company is reviewed by an editor before listing — not for quality, but for accuracy. We track founding year, stage, sector, region, and a one-sentence description that a founder would actually recognize. We don't list a fund's portfolio companies as a favor, and we don't take payment for inclusion.
The field guide is opinionated. It reflects the experience of founders who've actually raised money, hired across the state, and shipped products from Florida — not generic startup advice borrowed from elsewhere.
What we don't do
We don't host pitch events. We don't run a fund. We don't sell leads. We don't rank or score companies. If you're looking for those services, several of our sponsors do them well; we link to them on the relevant pages.
Sponsorship
Sponsors fund hosting, design, editorial labor, and the modest annual cost of running this site as a public good. Sponsors get a logo placement and a thank-you. They do not get editorial influence, listing priority, or access to subscriber data. If that arrangement is interesting, write us at sponsor@flstartups.com.
Who built this
This site was built by Brian Breslin, founder of Refresh Miami, who now runs student entrepreneurship initiatives for The University of Virginia.