Ask an Expert

ESSENTIAL CONTACTS
Business Assistance, Consulting, Workshops
Florida SBDC Network
The Florida SBDC has more than
40 offices from Pensacola to Key West. Please contact the region nearest you to find your local office.
850.898.3479
www.floridasbdc.org/locations
- Florida A&M University
Tallahassee
850.599.3407
- Florida Atlantic University
Serving Broward and Palm Beach Counties
954.762.5235
- Florida Gulf Coast University
Fort Myers
239.745.3700
- Florida International University
Miami
305.779.9230
- Indian River State College
Fort Pierce
772.336.6285
- University of Central Florida
Orlando
407.420.4850
- University of North Florida
Jacksonville
904.620.2476
- University of South Florida
Tampa
813.396.7200
- University of West Florida
Pensacola
850.474.2528
Black Business Investment Corporations (BBIC)
- BAC Funding Corporation
305.693.3550
bacfunding.com - BBIF Florida
407.649.4780
bbif.com - Central Florida Community Development Corp.
386.226.1216
cfcdc.com - Palm Beach County BBIC
561.845.8055
discover.pbcgov.org/HES/Pages/BBIC.aspx - Tampa Bay BBIC
Tampa: 813.425.2043
St. Petersburg: 727.826.5785
Clearwater: 727.288.1009
tampabaybbic.com
Minority Businesses
- Florida State Minority Supplier Development Council
Miami (headquarters): 305.762.6151
Orlando (regional office): 407.251.7021
fsmsdc.org
National Entrepreneur Center
407.420.4848
nationalec.org
Prospera
prosperausa.org/central-florida
- Central Florida
407.428.5872 - South Florida
786.329.5830 - West Coast Florida
813.634.6246
SCORE Florida
Contact the SCORE Florida chapter nearest you for free mentoring and workshops.
score.org
- North Central
Gainesville-Alachua 352.251.3622
Jacksonville 904.443.1911
Lakeland 863.284.5607
Nature Coast-Lecanto 352.249.1236
Orlando 407.420.4844
Space Coast/Melbourne 321.254.2288
The Villages 352.399.0050
Volusia-Flagler 386.255.6889 - Southeast
Fort Lauderdale 954.356.7263
Treasure Coast/Fort Pierce 772.489.0548
Miami-Dade 786.425.9119
West Palm Beach 561.981.5180 - Southwest
Clearwater 727.437.0990
Fort Myers 239.533.3102
Manatee-Sarasota 941.955.1029
Naples 239.430.0081
New Port Richey 727.842.4638
Port Charlotte 941.743.6179
Tampa 813.448.2311
U.S. Small Business Administration
800.827.5722 / sba.gov
- South Florida District Office
Miami
305.536.5521
sba.gov/offices/district/fl/miami - North Florida District Office
Jacksonville
904.443.1900
sba.gov/offices/district/fl/jacksonville
Women’s Business Centers
- Jacksonville Women’s Business Center
Jacksonville
904.366.6633
jaxwbc.com - The Florida Women’s
Business Center
Delray Beach
561.265.3790
flwbc.org - The Helen Gordon Davis Centre for Women
Tampa
813.251.8437
thecentre.org - weVENTURE at Florida Institute of Technology
Melbourne
321.674.7007
weventure.fit.edu
Business Incubators
Florida-based facilities that provide first-stage business incubator services.
fbiaonline.org
East Central Florida
- Burnout Game Ventures
Winter Park
burngameven.com - Goldstein Business Accelerator
Oviedo
goldsteinaccelerator.com - Groundswell Startups
Melbourne
swellstartups.com - Melbourne Makerspace
Melbourne
melbournemakerspace.org - MicaPlex
Daytona Beach
erau.edu/micaplex - National Entrepreneur Center
Orlando
nationalec.org - Orlando Entrepreneurs
Orlando
orlandoentrepreneurs.org - Seminole State College Center for Business Development
Orlando
starterstudio.com
Northwest Florida
- Co:Lab Pensacola
Pensacola
colabpensacola.com - Domi Station
Tallahassee
domistation.com - Florida State University Innovation Hub
Tallahassee
innovation.fsu.edu
- North Florida Innovation Labs
Tallahassee
innovation-park.com/nfil
- TechFarms
Panama City Beach
techfarms.com
Northeast Florida
- Beaver Street Enterprise Center
Jacksonville
bsecenter.net - Mayo Clinic Innovation Exchange
Jacksonville
innovationexchange.mayoclinic.org - UNF Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovtion
Jacksonville
unf.edu/coggin/cei/
North Central Florida
- Ocala Metro Chamber & Economic Partnership Ocala Power Plant Incubator
ocalacep.com/growing-jobs/create-your-business - Power Plant Business Incubator
Ocala
flvec.com/power-plant-business-incubator - Santa Fe College for Innovation and Economic Development (CIED)
Gainesville, Stark
sfcollege.edu/cied/incubators - Starter Space
Gainesville
starterspace.com - UF Innovate
Gainesville
innovate.research.ufl.edu/ - UF Innovate | Accelerate @Sid Martin Biotech
Alachua
innovate.research.ufl.edu/sid-martin-biotech
Tampa Bay
- Catapult
Lakeland
catapultlakeland.com - Clearwater Business SPARK
Clearwater
clearwaterbusinessspark.com - Embarc Collective
Tampa
embarccollective.com
- Entrepreneur Collaborative Center
Tampa
hillsboroughcounty.org/locations/entrepreneur-collaborative-center - Florida-Israel Business Accelerator
Tampa
fiba.io - Florida Institute for Commercialization of Florida Technology
Tampa
florida-institute.com
Florida Southern College Center for Free Entererpise & Entrepreneruship
Lakeland
flsouthern.edu/academic-life/centers-institutes/cfee/home.aspx
- SMARTstart Pasco EDC Program
Lutz
smartstartpasco.com/business-incubators - Spark Growth
Bradenton
sparkgrowth.net - Station 2 Innovation
Bradenton
station2innovation.com - Tampa Bay Innovation Center
St. Petersburg
tbinnovates.com - Tampa Bay WaVE
Tampa
tampabaywave.org - Travel Startups
St. Petersburg
travelstartups.co - University of Tampa Lowth Entrepreneurship Center
Tampa
ut.edu/entrepreneurcenter - USF CONNECT
Tampa
usfconnect.org
Southeast Florida
- Alan B. Levan NSU Broward Center of Innovation
Fort Lauderdale
innovation@nova.edu - CIC Miami
Miami
cic.com/miami - Endeavor Miami
Coral Gables
endeavormiami.org - FAU Tech Runway
Boca Raton
techrunway.fau.edu - Florida Women’s Business Center
Delray Beach
flwbc.org - Founder Institute
Fort Lauderdale, Miami
fi.co/s/fort_lauderdale - Grow Non-Profit Services
North Brevard
nbbd.com/npr/gnpsc/index.html - Research Park at Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton
research-park.org
- Rokk3r Labs
Miami
rokk3r.com - Scaleup 305
Miami Dade
scaleup305.com - StartHub
Miami
starthubcenters.com - StartUP FIU
Miami
startup.fiu.edu - TED Center
Delray Beach, Fort Lauderdale
tedcenter.org - The Venture Mentoring Team
Miami
thevmt.org/startups - University of Miami
The Launch Pad
Coral Gables
thelaunchpad.org - Venture Hive
Coral Gables
venturehive.com
Southwest Florida
- ARCEO Executive and Virtual Offices
Naples
arceo.us - Florida Culinary Accelerator @Immokalee
Immokalee
collieredo.org/culinary-accelerator
Export/International Trade
Central Florida International Trade Office
407.420.4860
cfito.org
Enterprise Florida Inc.
International Trade & Business Development
enterpriseflorida.com/trade-offices
- Jacksonville/Northeast
904.359.9350 - Miami-Dade/Southwest
305.808.3670 - Orlando/Central Florida
305.240.9717 - Pensacola/Northwest/Tallahassee
904.359.9350 - Tampa Bay
813.276.9430 - West Palm Beach/Southeast Florida
561.832.8339
Florida EXIM Bank
305.526.7435
www.exim.gov/contact/regional-export-finance-centers/eastern-region
Florida Export Finance Corporation
786.845.0400
fefc.biz
Florida SBDC International Trade Services
850.898.3479
floridasbdc.org/services/international-trade
U.S. Export Assistance Centers
export.gov/contact-us/
- Fort Lauderdale
954.356.6640 - Jacksonville
904.232.1270 - Miami
305.526.7428 - Orlando
407.275.5527 - Tallahassee
904.232.1270 - Tampa Bay
727.893.3738
Finance
Certified Development Companies
Nonprofit corporations that work with the SBA and private-sector lenders to provide financing to small businesses.
-
Florida Business Development Corp.
813.348.0660
fbdc.net - Florida First Capital Finance Corp.
888.320.5504
ffcfc.com - Sunshine State Economic Development Corporation (SEDCO)
800.850.2504
sedco504.com
Florida Department of Economic Opportunity
Microfinance Guarantee Program, Black Business Loan Program, Small Business Credit Initiative
850.245.7105
800.203.2428
floridajobs.org/smallbusiness
Florida Finance Network
Nonprofit economic development lending organizations that connect Florida small businesses with state and federal financing programs.
floridafinance.org/
- Florida Development Finance Corp.
407.956.5695
fdfcbonds.com - Florida Export Finance Corp.
786.845.0400
fefc.biz - Florida First Capital Finance Corp.
561.756.1745
FloridaFirst.com - Neighborhood Lending Partners
813.879.4525
nlp-inc.com
Florida’s Microfinance Guarantee Program
407.956.5624
enterpriseflorida.com/small-business/microfinance-guarantee-program
Industrial Revenue Bonds
Tax-exempt, low-interest bond financing to qualified, financially sound manufacturing and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.
- Florida Development Finance Corp.
407.712.6356
fdfcbonds.com
SBA Loans
The U.S. Small Business Administration does not make loans directly to small business owners; however, many local lenders can assist with the application process for an SBA-backed loan. For information, contact a district office.
- South Florida District Office
Miami
305.536.5521
sba.gov/offices/district/fl/miami - North Florida District Office
Jacksonville
904.443.1900
sba.gov/offices/district/fl/jacksonville
Venture Capital Firms
The Florida Venture Forum is a statewide member-based organization that helps entrepreneurs obtain funding through strategic partnering, education and effective networking.
flventure.org
- Antares Capital (Florida)
Miami
antarescapital.com - Arc Capital Development
Sarasota
arccd.com - Ark Applications
Lutz
arkapps.com - Axioma Ventures
Tampa
axiomaventures.com - Ballast Point Ventures
Tampa
ballastpointventures.com - Cito Ventures
Miami
citoventures.com - ClearSky Security
West Palm Beach
clear-sky.com - DeepWork Capital
Orlando
deepworkcapital.com - Florida Funders
Tampa
floridafunders.com - Forefront Venture Partners
Boca Raton
forefrontvp.com - H.I.G. BioHealth Partners
Miami
higbio.com - John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Miami
knightfoundation.org - Las Olas Venture Captal
Fort Lauderdale
lasolasvc.com - Marc Bell Capital Partners
Boca Raton
marcbell.com - Miami Angels
Miami
miamiangels.vc - Miro Ventures
Boca Raton
miroventures.com - Montrose Capital Ventures
Miami
montrosecapital.com - New World Angels
Boca Raton
newworldangels.com - PGA Fund
Palm Beach Gardens
pgafoundation.com
- Phyto Partners
Boca Raton
phytopartners.com - Proton Perlmutter Ventures
Naples
protonperlmutterventures.com - PS27 Ventures
Jacksonville
ps27ventures.com - Responder Ventures
Jupiter
respondercorp.com - Seedfunders
St. Petersburg
seedfunders.com - SK Ventures
Sarasota
skvcap.com - Starlight Ventures
Miami
starlight.vc
- StartUp Nation Ventures
Orlando
sunv.io - Tamiami Angel Funds
Naples
tamiamiangels.com - TheVentureCity
Miami
theventurecity.com - Vestech Partners
Ocala
vestechpartners.com - Westlake Ventures
St. Petersburg
westlakeventures.net
Government Contracting
Florida Department of Management Services, Division of
State Purchasing
850.488.8440
dms.myflorida.com/business_operations/state_purchasing
Florida Procurement Technical Assistance Center
850.898.3485
fptac.org
MyFloridaMarketPlace.com
866.352.3776
dms.myflorida.com/myfloridamarketplace
Office of Supplier Diversity, Florida Department of Management Services
850.487.0915
dms.myflorida.com/agency administration/office of supplier diversity_osd
Insurance
Citizens Property Insurance Corp.
888.685.1555
citizensfla.com
Florida Agency for Health Care Administration
888.419.3456
floridahealthfinder.gov
Florida Department of Financial Services
- Consumer Services
myfloridacfo.com/division/consumers
Click “Insurance Library” and “Consumer Guides” for specific information related to Small-Business Owner’s Insurance and Disaster Assistance - Division of Workers’ Compensaton
850.413.1609
myfloridacfo.com/division/wc
Florida Market Assistance Plan
800.524.9023
fmap.org
Florida Workers’ Compensation Joint Underwriting Association
941.378.7400
fwcjua.com
National Flood Insurance Program
Region IV Liaison
770.220.5407
fema.gov/about/
organization/region-4
Intellectual Property
U.S. Copyright Office
202.707.3000 or 877.476.0778
copyright.gov
U.S. Patent & Trademark Office
800.786.9199 or
571.272.1000
uspto.gov
Labor & Employment
CareerSource Florida
850.692.6887
careersourceflorida.com
Employ Florida Marketplace
800.438.4128
employflorida.com
Florida Department of Economic Opportunity
850.245.7105
floridajobs.org/smallbusiness
Florida Department of Financial Services,
Workers’ Compensation
850.413.1609
myfloridacfo.com/division/wc
Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Child Labor Program
850.488.3131
myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/child-labor
Florida New Hire
Reporting Center
888.854.4791 or 850.656.3343
servicesforemployers.floridarevenue.com
U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division
866.487.9243
dol.gov/whd
- Fort Lauderdale
954.356.6896 - Jacksonville
904.359.9292 - Miami
305.598.6607 - Orlando
407.648.6471 - Tallahassee
850.942.8341 - Tampa
813.288.1242 - West Palm Beach
561.640.0474
U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration
800.321.6742
osha.gov
- Fort Lauderdale
954.424.0242 - Jacksonville
904.232.2895 - Orlando
407.897.4740 - Tampa
813.626.1177
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
202.663.4900
eeoc.gov
- District Office
800.669.4000
U.S. Department of Justice, Americans with Disabilities Act
800.514.0301
ada.gov
USF SafetyFlorida
Florida’s official OSHA safety and health consultation program dedicated to serving small businesses; consultants statewide.
866.273.1105
usfsafetyflorida.com
Legal Structure
Florida Department of
State, Division of Corporations
sunbiz.org
- Corporations
850.245.6052 - Limited Liability
Companies/Partnerships
850.245.6052
U.S. Internal Revenue Service Publications
800.829.3676
irs.gov/publications
- Partnerships
Publication 541 - Limited Liability Companies/Partnerships
Publication 3402 - Corporations
Publication 542
Permits, Licenses
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
800.435.7352
freshfromflorida.com
Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation
850.487.1395
myfloridalicense.com
- Licensing
850.487.1395
myfloridalicense.com - Division of Hotels and
Restaurants
850.487.1395
myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
850.245.2118
floridadep.gov
Florida Department of Health
850.245.2444
floridahealth.gov/licensing-and-regulation
Florida New Hire Reporting Center
888.854.4791 or 850.656.3343
servicesforemployers.floridarevenue.com
Florida Office of Financial Regulation
850.487.9687
flofr.com
Taxes
Florida Department of Revenue
800.488.6800
floridarevenue.com/taxes
U.S. Internal Revenue Service
800.892.4933
irs.gov/businesses
Tax Forms and Publications
800.829.3676
irs.gov/forms-pubs
- Tax Calendar Options for
Businesses and Self-Employed
Publication 1518A - Tax Guide for Small Business
Publication 334 - Circular E, Employer’s Tax
Guide
Publication 15 - Starting a Business and
Keeping Records
Publication 583 - Small Business Federal Tax
Responsibilities
Publication 4591