There is a reason that Metro Orlando is consistently named among the hottest markets in the nation for business and job growth. In fact, there are many reasons! Here's our top ten: 
   

• Established Technology Cluster: 65,000 People Strong  
  
• Named One of the Nation’s Best Locations for Entrepreneurs
• Access. Access. Access.
• "Most Connected" U.S. Metro
• Young Workforce – One Out of Two People Have Completed Some College Education
• Nation’s Seventh Largest University Anchoring an Extensive Higher Education System
• One of the Nation’s 10 Best Office Markets – Offering Affordable Options for Almost Any Business
• Variety of Lifestyle Options – Low Cost of Living and World-Class Entertainment Options
• One of the Fastest Growing Economies in the U.S.
• The "Livability" Factor

Established Technology Cluster: 65,000 People Strong

    FEATURE: The Metro Orlando area boasts a $13.4 billion technology industry that employs close to 65,000 people. Top sectors include digital media; modeling, simulation and training; optics and photonics; aviation/aerospace; homeland security/defense; information technology; agritechnology; energy and alternative fuels; and life sciences/biotechnology. Companies also have access to a strong university system, an environment of technological innovation and infrastructure supporting the region’s established technology sector. Breaking News ... Orlando ranks as one of 10 "Blooming U.S. Cites for Tech."

    BENEFIT: An established technology sector means that companies growing or relocating to the area have immediate access to a technology ecosystem that has been building since the 1960s. This includes immediate access to a highly skilled workforce, university research and development, partnership opportunities, and organizations and facilities dedicated to helping high tech companies flourish.

 
 
Named One of the Nation’s Best Locations for Entrepreneurs

    FEATURE: From Walt Disney to Glen L. Martin Metro Orlando has a long history of entrepreneurial activity. Case in point, the region had more than 56,000 company start-ups in 2004 alone. That number has been consistently growing, thanks to an improved economy, and the presence of facilities such as the Disney/SBA National Entrepreneur Center (NEC) and the National Business Incubator Association’s #1 ranked University of Central Florida Technology Incubator. These factors and more have led Entrepreneur magazine to have ranked the region as one of the top 10 cities for start-up businesses.

    BENEFIT: Doing business in an environment where you can “fail on Friday and start on Monday” is critical to business success in today’s fast changing environment. The large number of start-ups in Metro Orlando is also a testament to a creative and innovative workforce available to businesses located in the region. Finally, with facilities like the NEC and Incubator, businesses can be assured that the region is focused on their success no matter what their size.

 
 
Access. Access. Access.

    FEATURE: Metro Orlando, with almost 50 million visitors a year, is built for easy access. The fourth largest destination airport in the U.S.; proximity to two deep water ports; and extensive road and rail systems connecting the region to the Southeast United States, truly make Orlando a global connection point. There is no easier point to get to Europe, South America and throughout North America, not to mention access to the Florida market, which is the fastest-growing job market in the nation.

    BENEFIT: From exporting products to meeting with clients, Metro Orlando offers businesses the access they need to stay competitive.

 
 
"Most Connected" U.S. Metro

    FEATURE: Metro Orlando is an international leader in digital connectivity. The region has been ranked as one of the top 10 “most wired” communities, with 65 percent of our citizens using broadband connections.

    BENEFIT: Today’s marketplace is no longer defined by geographic boundaries. Without virtual and real world connection to other parts of the world, businesses cannot capitalize on new opportunities. In Metro Orlando your company will never lack ways or means to move product, information or people.

 
 
Young Workforce – One Out of Two People Have Completed Some College Education

    FEATURE: Several studies have found that Metro Orlando’s population will feature the same ethnic diversity in 2015 that won’t be reached by the rest of the country until 2055. With 25 percent of the region’s population having completed a bachelor’s degree or higher, and another 30 percent having completed at least some college — it’s easy to see that Metro Orlando’s employee base is well-educated. It is also important to note that the region’s median age is 36, with 64 percent of the population under the age of 44.

    BENEFIT: The diversity of a region’s workforce impacts its ability to nurture innovative thinking and offer residents a high quality of life. Metro Orlando businesses have no problem filling job slots — no matter what level of skill is needed — thanks to the region’s strong employee base. The relative young median age also ensures that the region’s workforce is here to stay for decades to come. Companies have access to state-sponsored workforce training grant programs that will allow them to keep employees on the cutting-edge of their respective fields.

 
 
Nation’s Seventh Largest University Anchoring an Extensive Higher Education System

    FEATURE: The Orlando-based University of Central Florida, with nearly 44,000 students, is now the eighth largest university in the United States. The university also boasts more than $83 million in annual research dollars, many of which are matched with company dollars in joint research projects. With more than 8,000 students, UCF’s College of Business Administration has also been ranked as one of the largest business schools in the nation. However, UCF is only one of more than 35 post-secondary institutions based in the area. This includes three of the state’s top community colleges, Rollins College, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, the Florida A&M University School of Law, and the first stateside campus of Puerto Rican-based, Ana G. Mendez University.

    BENEFIT: Metro Orlando’s strong higher education system provides companies with a steady flow of highly-trained employees and access to a variety of research and development opportunities. The many post-secondary institutions also provide business leaders, their families and their employees with educational programs in a wide variety of fields. Companies that need employees with specialized skill-sets can also be confident in the community’s long history of partnership between educational institutions and business.

 
 
One of the Nation’s 10 Best Office Markets – Offering Affordable Options for Almost Any Business

    FEATURE: With more than 50 million square feet of space, the region's office market ranks among the nation's ten best, according to Viewpoint - Real Estate Travel Trends, published by Integra Realty Resources, Inc. Total industrial space in the region exceeds 82.7 million square feet and is growing, as reported by Real Estate Research Consultants, Inc. The region also represents a variety of commercial and industrial real estate options — including everything from urban space in downtown Orlando to rural land in Lake and Osceola Counties and everything in between.

    BENEFIT: The sheer quantity and diversity of commercial and industrial property in Metro Orlando means that companies growing in or relocating to the region are virtually assured that the region offers space or land suitable to their specific needs. The amount of space and current associated costs are also very competitive with other regions around the country — making Metro Orlando an affordable place for businesses to locate.

 
 
Variety of Lifestyle Options – Low Cost of Living and World-Class Entertainment Options

    FEATURE: From rolling hills and orange groves to a downtown core that boasts $1.8 billion in current development — Metro Orlando truly offers a variety of lifestyle options that meet just about everyone’s needs. Long called “The City Beautiful” — Metro Orlando’s namesake city is known for its brick-lined streets, green space and eclectic housing options. Further west and south are Lake and Osceola counties respectively, which still offer a bit of “elbow room.” Heading north — Seminole County is a thriving suburban area offering beautiful communities like Heathrow and Colonial Town Park. All of this comes with Orlando’s well-known sunshine, 30-45 min. beach access, no state income tax, affordable cost of living, growing list of cultural options, and world-class entertainment industry.

    BENEFIT: Business leaders and employees living in Metro Orlando not only bring home more of their paycheck thanks to the affordable cost of living and no state income tax, but also have access to almost every conceivable lifestyle option. With 50,000 new residents moving to the region each and every year, the secret is out that this region is not only a great place to do business but also a great place to live.

 
 
One of the Fastest Growing Economies in the U.S.

    FEATURE: Florida's economic engine continues to hum. In fact, a Torto Wheaton Research study predicted that job growth in Orlando during the next five years will occur at the third-fastest rate in the country. The study also indicates that Orlando has the strongest economy in the state and is the 21st strongest out of 361 metro areas in the country. If Florida were a country, it would have the 15th largest economy in the world and the eighth largest in the Western Hemisphere.

    BENEFIT: Business leaders in Metro Orlando can rest assured that they are located in a region that has a solid economic base and room to grow. This also provides a sense of security in that family members will find plenty of job opportunities in their respective fields. The strong economy in Metro Orlando has also allowed local companies to look at ways of expanding their operations by adding new product lines or services.

 
 
The “Livability” Factor

    FEATURE: Year-round, outdoor recreation. Proximity to beaches, lakes, springs, parks, trails, and fields. World-class entertainment options. Distinctive neighborhoods. World-class shopping. (Closets free of winter coats, scarves and gloves!) The region’s amenities, natural and “man-made”, make Metro Orlando a great place to work and to live.

    BENEFIT: Companies of all types and sizes find that Central Florida’s unparalleled “livability” enhances employee recruitment and retention.