Florida Council of 100 and partners launch statewide tech expansion to reshape Florida’s economy

Florida is no longer waiting for the next economic boom to arrive.

Today, The Florida Council of 100, a private, nonpartisan organization of influential business leaders, announced an expansion of its Ambition Accelerated platform. The move signals a strategic shift in how the Sunshine State competes for the next generation of high-growth companies. By launching new accelerator tracks focused on healthcare and resilience, the Council and its partners aim to move beyond organic growth toward a model of “intentional” economic development.

The platform builds upon the Council’s early success of the Gold Coast Tech Accelerator. That program launched in 2025 in partnership with eMerge Americas and Related Ross and was seeded with $10 million from Related Ross’s CEO Stephen Ross and Citadel CEO Ken Griffin. It integrates fintech and dual-use defense startups into Florida’s enterprise ecosystem; West Palm Beach offers the fintech track, while Miami’s track focuses on defense tech.