Business Growth
Growing a business takes more than customers. Whether you need help expanding, hiring and training talent, adopting new technology, finding a site, entering new markets, or connecting with other business leaders, Southwest Florida has organizations that can help. Start with what you need.
- Cape Coral Economic Development Office
- Charlotte County Economic Development Office
- Collier County Economic Development Council
- Glades County Economic Development Council
- Hendry County Economic Development Council
- Lee County Economic Development Office
- Horizon Council and Horizon Foundation
- SWFL HI AI Innovation Hub
- SWFL Inc.
- SWFL Business Alliance
- Young Professionals of Naples
- SWFL Young Professionals
Grow & Scale Your Business
GrowFL
Supports second-stage companies with strategic growth resources, CEO peer networks, leadership development, and statewide recognition opportunities.
SCORE Southwest Florida
Provides free business mentoring, workshops, and practical guidance for entrepreneurs and established business owners.
Florida SBDC at FGCU
Provides consulting, training, and growth support for Southwest Florida businesses, including strategy, financing, and expansion planning.
Find, Train & Retain Talent
CareerSource Southwest Florida – Business Services
Helps employers recruit, train, and retain talent through hiring support, candidate screening, training programs, and workforce funding opportunities.
Looking for education and training partners? Visit our Regional Education & Training Resources.
Technology & Innovation
SWFL HI AI Innovation Hub
A regional coalition for human-centered AI, coordinated through Collaboratory, helping businesses, educators, government, and nonprofits across Southwest Florida adopt AI responsibly, from awareness and upskilling to applied pilots, governance, and community access.
FloridaMakes
Helps Florida manufacturers improve productivity, adopt new technologies, strengthen cybersecurity and supply chains, and build workforce capabilities.
Economic development organizations
City of Cape Coral Economic Development Office
The City of Cape Coral’s economic development office, supporting business relocation, expansion, and access to sites, incentives, and workforce resources in one of Southwest Florida’s largest and fastest-growing cities.
Charlotte County Economic Development Office
Charlotte County’s economic development office, branded “Cleared for Takeoff,” offering site selection, business incentives, relocation and expansion support, and community data for companies growing in the Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda area.
Collier County Economic Development Council
Collier County’s economic development office, supporting business attraction, expansion, and entrepreneurship, with dedicated startup resources for companies growing in the Naples and Marco Island area.
DeSoto County Economic Development
Supports business retention, expansion, recruitment, and economic development in DeSoto County.
Glades County Economic Development Council
The economic development council for rural Glades County, supporting business attraction, retention, and growth across the region’s inland communities.
Hendry County Economic Development Council
Hendry County’s economic development council, supporting business relocation, expansion, and workforce growth across the region’s eastern agricultural and industrial communities.
Lee County Economic Development Office
Lee County’s economic development office, connecting companies to sites, incentives, workforce, and expansion support across the region’s most populous county.
Sarasota County Economic Development
Supports business expansion, recruitment, and economic diversification across Sarasota County.
Business Leadership & Networks
SWFL Inc.
Southwest Florida’s Five-Star Accredited Chamber of Commerce serving Lee, Collier, and Charlotte counties, offering free and premium memberships, networking, leadership development, and marketing services for businesses of all sizes.
Horizon Council and Horizon Foundation
Lee County’s public and private partnership advising local government on economic development, with the Horizon Foundation serving as its charitable arm supporting regional business and workforce initiatives.
SWFL Business Alliance
A membership networking alliance connecting Southwest Florida business owners and professionals through weekly business lunches, breakfasts, and monthly meetups, including industry groups for building, young professionals, and women in leadership.
Young Professionals of Naples
A Naples-based network for early-career professionals, offering networking, professional development, and community engagement opportunities across Collier County.
SWFL Young Professionals
A regional network for young professionals across Southwest Florida, connecting emerging leaders through networking, events, and professional growth opportunities.
Uniting & Promoting Technology in Sunny Southwest Florida
Stay Connected
For regular updates on regional technology news, events, opportunities, and ecosystem activity, explore our past newsletters below and subscribe to the What’s On Tech newsletter for future updates.