noticias
Billionaire Stephen Ross wants to build the next-generation economy in Florida.
Apr 1, 2025
The founder of Related Companies, Stephen Ross, has teamed up with leaders from Florida to attract more international companies and investors to the southern part of the state.
Ross, the chairman and CEO of the Florida Council of 100, Michael Simas, and the co-founder and CEO of eMerge Americas, Melissa Medina, announced the plan on Friday afternoon at the eMerge Americas conference in Miami Beach.
This strategic initiative is designed to support fast-growing industries in the state, including finance and insurance, health and medical technology, aerospace and logistics, and clean technology.
Ross stated that South Florida is already on its way to becoming a hub of innovation.
"With initiatives like this, we can link educational institutions, entrepreneurship programs, and sources of capital to create a new environment for business in the United States," he said.
Ross, who also owns the Miami Dolphins, has been focused on transforming West Palm Beach with new luxury developments through his firm Related Ross. His aim is to turn the city, already nicknamed "Wall Street of the South," into a major next-generation financial and business center.
Like many others, Ross moved to South Florida during the Covid-19 pandemic. It was then that he saw the potential of the region to attract and retain large tech and financial companies that traditionally operate in New York or the West Coast.
According to him, Miami is attractive to young professionals and startups, but it may lack the space or resources to attract large companies with a significant number of employees. That’s why he has focused his attention on West Palm Beach.
"Palm Beach is no longer just a place for grandparents," he commented.
The new partnership, led by Related Ross, eMerge Americas and the Florida Council of 100, aims to position Florida as a key destination for global business expansion. Over the coming months, the partner groups will work with investors, entrepreneurs, and policymakers to develop new marketing and promotion strategies for the region.
To achieve this, eMerge will utilize its international network of entrepreneurs and investors to attract more startups, corporate partners, and venture capital. The Florida Council of 100 will help companies expand within the state and navigate its various markets, while Related Ross will create commercial spaces and "innovation hubs" for companies in Palm Beach County.
"With this initiative, we are ensuring that companies coming here not only start in Florida," Simas stated. "They will also grow and expand throughout the state."
The partners of the initiative will work in coordination with economic development agencies such as the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County, the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, and the Miami-Dade Beacon Council as part of the effort.
South Florida is already a financial center: the region represents nearly 39% of the state's financial GDP and is home to firms such as Goldman Sachs, Citadel, Morgan Stanley, and H.I.G. Capital.
Startups in Florida raised $4.1 billion in venture capital investments in 2024, ranking sixth nationally in transaction value. Startups from Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties captured 67% of the venture capital raised in the state.
The region is also a key hub for emerging sectors such as clean technology, which encompasses renewable energy businesses. While funding for climate and clean tech companies declined in the U.S. last year, it increased in Florida, defying the national trend.
"South Florida has become a global center of investment and innovation," Medina stated. "This new partnership leverages that momentum, positioning Florida as the destination for tech-driven global business."