June 18, 2026 — Northeast Florida (First Coast) new business activity

Northeast Florida's seven counties logged 787 new business filings the week of May 28 to June 3, a sharp bounce from the week before even as the longer 13 week pace keeps easing down.

Most of the week's gain came from Duval County, with 479 new filings, up 120 from the week before, and Jacksonville alone adding 451. The county's logistics base keeps widening behind those numbers: JAXPORT reported its new vehicle berth half-built and a third container crane now operating, and Southeast Toyota dedicated a new vehicle processing facility at the port. Each pulls in the trucking, warehousing, and trades that file in Duval. St. Johns came next at 108, up 36, and Clay added 74, up 22.

The week ran 224 ahead of the prior week's 563, a 39.8% rise, and 163 above the same week last year, a 26.1% gain. It also sat just above the 13 week average of 757.4. The longer 13 week trend is still easing down, though: the trailing 13 weeks added up to 9,846 filings, a touch below the 9,924 in the prior window.

Property holding and asset protection was the largest named group at 80 filings, 10.2% of the week, up from 64; 9 of those were short term or vacation rental holdings. Hospitality and tourism nearly doubled, to 51 from 27. Administrative and support services rose to 60, the logistics-adjacent firms a busier port feeds, while professional services slipped to 60 from 73. Off the waterfront, Baptist Health opened a new HealthPlace at Seven Pines, a care center that hires and buys local as the neighborhood grows.

Nassau County had a busy week, posting 45 filings, up from 22, more than double its usual pace. Nonprofit filings more than doubled too, to 31 from 14. LLCs stayed the dominant form, at 694 of the week's filings.

Steady growth over the past 13 weeks.

The bold line is the 13-week average. Read it for the longer trend. The thin line is each week's count, which swings week to week.

Management of Companies grew the most this week, 25 more (up 192.3%). Professional Services dropped the most, 13 fewer (down 17.8%). Several smaller sectors also grew.

Duval led the region this week with 479 new filings. Gains were broad, with 5 other counties also up from the week before.

• JAXPORT reported on June 1, 2026 that construction of its new vehicle-handling berth has reached the halfway mark, adding deepwater capacity for finished-vehicle imports and exports on the First Coast. A bigger vehicle berth means near-term work for marine and heavy-civil contractors, and once open it draws auto processors, accessory and upfit shops, trucking and rail drayage, and the staffing, insurance, and accounting those operators set up. Vendors who court the terminal and its tenants early can lock in long contracts. JAXPORT, 2026-06-01
• JAXPORT announced on May 6, 2026 that a third new container crane has begun operations, increasing the port's container-handling capacity. More container capacity pulls in warehousing and distribution, drayage and trucking, freight forwarders, customs brokers, and third-party logistics firms across Duval and the I-295 corridor, each needing local insurance, IT, and bookkeeping. Logistics-adjacent service providers have a growing pool of prospects. JAXPORT, 2026-05-06
• Southeast Toyota Distributors dedicated a new vehicle processing facility at JAXPORT on April 22, 2026, strengthening its vehicle service across the Southeast. A new vehicle-processing operation needs accessory installers, parts and detailing suppliers, transport carriers, and skilled and entry-level staff, plus the everyday services a large facility buys. Auto-trade and logistics suppliers near the port can win recurring work. JAXPORT, 2026-04-22
• Baptist Health announced on June 2, 2026 a new Baptist HealthPlace at Seven Pines, a comprehensive-care destination serving the growing Jacksonville-area neighborhood. A new neighborhood care center means construction and fit-out work, medical equipment and IT suppliers, and clinical and support hiring, plus the everyday services a new facility buys. Trades and vendors who serve healthcare build-outs have a fresh project to pursue. Baptist Health, 2026-06-02

This week brought a clear bounce: 787 filings, up 39.8% from the week before and 26.1% above last year, though the 13 week pace is still easing, so it is one strong week, not a new trend. The buyers are concentrated in Duval and Jacksonville, with Nassau unusually busy, and the mix leans to holding companies, hospitality, and support services, almost all LLCs. The clearest opportunity is the port: JAXPORT's berth and crane work and Southeast Toyota's new facility keep widening the logistics base, so trucking, warehousing, trades, and the accountants and insurers who serve them have a growing pool of new operators. Baptist's new Seven Pines center adds healthcare buildout and staffing demand. Reach those operators first and you become the partner they keep.

We count new business filings recorded with the state of Florida for the seven counties in Northeast Florida: Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam, and St. Johns. We wait about two weeks after the week ends for the state to finish recording all of its filings, so the counts here are complete and accurate. Filings are grouped into plain-language business categories, and some filings that lack enough detail to sort are kept in the totals but left out of the category list.

Frequently asked questions

Did business filings go up or down this week?

They went up sharply for the week: 787 filings, 224 more than the prior week and 163 more than the same week last year. But over the last 13 weeks the overall pace is still easing down, so this is one strong week, not a settled new trend.

Where were most of the new businesses formed?

In Duval County, which had 479 of the week's filings, with Jacksonville accounting for 451 on its own. St. Johns was next with 108, then Clay with 74.

Which kinds of business grew the most?

Hospitality and tourism nearly doubled to 51 filings. Property holding and asset protection led the named groups at 80. Professional services fell the most, slipping to 60 from 73.