Startups in other cities are circling around this North Florida hot spot.
No. 7 Population Growth; 16 Rate of Entrepreneurship; 24 Net Business Creation
The rate of entrepreneurship keeps climbing in the Florida hub, thanks to recent ecosystem investments like the University of North Florida’s 13,000-square-foot innovation center, which opened in February. Meanwhile, the Mayo Clinic’s new Life Sciences Incubator, designed for biotech entrepreneurs, and early-stage VC firm PS27 are also creating new opportunities for local firms. Now startups in other cities are taking notice, says Jim Stallings, CEO of PS27, who has seen an increase in the number of out-of-state attendees at the incubator’s annual entrepreneurship conference.
“They’re realizing the talent that’s available in Jacksonville, as well as the quality of life and low cost of living,” says Stallings.
Taylor Harkey is co-founder of Adjective & Co., a Jacksonville branding and advertising agency that has been featured on Inc.’s Best Workplaces list three years in a row. He affirms the area’s appeal to out-of-state talent, as four members of its 20-person staff hail from outside of Florida. What’s more, he adds, the influx of talent has helped shore up local businesses like breweries and restaurants, which have added to the city’s appeal. –Emily Canal