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NewBiz Alert

NewBiz Alert North Central Florida (Gainesville & Ocala) weekly brief

August 15, 2026 — North Central Florida (Gainesville & Ocala) new business activity

By NewBiz Alert, for the week of July 25 to July 31, 2026, from Florida Division of Corporations filings. How we built this.

New filings

356

vs last week

-11.4%

vs same week last year

-8.5%

13 week average

384

Which of these applies to you

North Central Florida recorded 356 new business filings the week of July 25 to 31, a quieter week after a strong one before it.

The week's 356 filings sit below the 13 week average of 384 and mark the first down week in a row. The drop is modest, and it follows a strong prior week of 402, so it reads as a settling week rather than a sharp break.

The mix stayed broad. Professional services led with 38 new filings, retail followed with 35, and construction came in at 33. All three grew from the prior week. Transportation and warehousing rose to 26, up 4, and manufacturing jumped to 9, more than double its usual weekly pace.

The biggest pullback was in real estate and rental and leasing, which fell to 21 from 51. Property holding and asset protection also eased to 41 from 64. That drop in holding style filings is a large part of why the week total is down.

Marion County carried the region with 165 filings, up 9, and Ocala alone accounted for 138. Alachua County slipped to 107, down 25. Smaller markets picked up ground, with Levy County rising to 22 and Chiefland jumping from 2 to 10.

The trend

How the region is trending

How the region is trendingThe bold green line is the 13-week average trend. The thin gray line is each week's new-business count, which swings more week to week. The left axis shows the number of new filings.0200400600May 2Jul 25

A steady slowdown 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.

The yearly pattern

How the year usually runs

  • 2025-26
  • 2024-25
  • 2023-24
  • 2022-23
  • 2021-22
New businesses by month, this month last year to nowEach line is one year, ending at the current month on the right. The height is how many new businesses were formed that month, so a reader can see the yearly pattern and how the years compare. The left axis shows the number of new filings.1,0001,5002,000JulAugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun

New business formation usually runs highest around Mar and is quietest around Nov, holding near 1,500 a month across the years.

Each line is one year, ending at the current month on the right, so you can read the past year left to right. New Year's Day is left out because the state office is closed, so almost no businesses register that day.

The week

What is forming

Manufacturing grew the most this week, 5 more (up 125.0%). Property Holding & Asset Protection dropped the most, 23 fewer (down 35.9%). 6 other sectors shown here also grew.

SectorLast weekThis weekChange
Property Holding & Asset Protection6441-23 (-35.9%)
Professional Services3538+3 (+8.6%)
Retail3135+4 (+12.9%)
Construction & Trades2933+4 (+13.8%)
Administrative & Support Services4432-12 (-27.3%)
Hospitality & Tourism2827-1 (-3.6%)
Transportation & Logistics2226+4 (+18.2%)
Healthcare22220 (0%)
Personal & Other Services3122-9 (-29%)
Agriculture & Natural Resources14140 (0%)
Technology & Media1812-6 (-33.3%)
Real Estate2811-17 (-60.7%)
Manufacturing49+5 (+125%)
Education57+2 (+40%)
Wholesale & Distribution35+2 (+66.7%)

Where

Busiest places this week

Marion led the region this week with 165 new filings. 1 of the other 5 counties shown here was also up from the week before.

Top countiesLast weekThis weekChangeRank move
Marion156165+9 (+5.8%)Held at #1
Alachua132107-25 (-18.9%)Held at #2
Levy1822+4 (+22.2%)Up 1, from #4
Columbia3719-18 (-48.6%)Down 1, from #3
Suwannee1412-2 (-14.3%)Held at #5
Bradford11110 (0%)Held at #6
Top citiesLast weekThis weekChangeRank move
Ocala127138+11 (+8.7%)Held at #1
Gainesville7972-7 (-8.9%)Held at #2
Dunnellon16160 (0%)Up 2, from #5
Lake City3316-17 (-51.5%)Down 1, from #3
Newberry811+3 (+37.5%)Up 4, from #9
Chiefland210+8 (+400%)Up 21, from #27

Notables

Standouts this week

Manufacturing runs hot

Manufacturing logged 9 new filings this week, more than double its usual weekly pace of about 4. Small weekly counts can swing, but a jump this size is worth watching as a sign that production and fabrication work is picking up.

Around the region

Local context

  • Marion County's planning and zoning commission took up a request from Jax Road, LLC to amend a planned unit development to allow up to 321 residential units on an 82.05 acre tract at 5823 NE Jacksonville Road in Ocala, case 260608ZP.

    A project this size means years of site work and home building ahead, and the trades that build it get hired locally.

    Who this helps

    • home builders
    • excavation and paving crews
    • electricians
    • plumbers
    • roofers
    • landscapers
    • surveyors
    • civil engineers

    Marion County Planning & Zoning Commission, 2026-05-27

  • Marion County's planning and zoning commission took up a special use permit from John Rudnianyn for a new 180 foot monopole telecommunication tower on a 28.56 acre parcel, case 260707SU.

    A new tower means site work, concrete foundations and electrical hookups, plus the telecom crews that install and service the equipment.

    Who this helps

    • concrete and masonry contractors
    • electricians
    • telecom technicians
    • site work crews

    Marion County Planning & Zoning Commission, 2026-06-29

  • Marion County's development review committee took up the Arden of Ocala preliminary plat, a residential subdivision plat on parcel 9018-0000-06.

    A preliminary plat moves a residential project one step closer to construction, which feeds the home builders and trades that follow rooftops.

    Who this helps

    • home builders
    • site work contractors
    • surveyors
    • civil engineers

    Marion County Development Review Committee, 2026-06-29

  • Marion County's development review committee took up a major site plan for a Lockheed Martin Training Village and Building 12 renovation on parcel 9014-0044-05.

    A renovation at a major defense employer means construction and fit out work, and it supports the manufacturing filings that jumped to 9 this week.

    Who this helps

    • general contractors
    • electricians
    • HVAC contractors
    • interior fit out crews

    Marion County Development Review Committee, 2026-06-29

  • UF Health reported that, with funding from Google.org, the University of Florida Diabetes Institute will use artificial intelligence to expand diabetes detection and primary care provider training across Florida. The work includes expanding the Project ECHO Diabetes initiative and building an AI powered virtual assistant for primary care clinicians.

    A program that trains primary care providers and builds digital tools creates work for health care and technology firms in the Gainesville area.

    Who this helps

    • health care providers
    • software developers
    • data analysts
    • clinical trainers

    UF Health, 2026-08-13

  • The University of Florida reported that it ranked 5th nationally in invention disclosures and in licenses and options in the 2025 AUTM survey. It also ranked 8th in patents issued and 10th in patent applications. Preliminary fiscal year 2026 figures show 463 invention disclosures, 500 patent applications, 162 issued patents, 320 licensing agreements and 12 startup companies launched.

    A steady pipeline of patents and startups means ongoing demand for the professional services that new companies need, from legal and accounting to IT and marketing.

    Who this helps

    • law firms
    • accountants
    • IT consultants
    • marketing firms

    University of Florida, 2026-07-29

  • VA North Florida/South Georgia Health Care announced that the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System received third quarter fiscal year 2026 maintenance funding for projects including a Building 82 elevator tower, EHRM infrastructure upgrades in Lake City, a Building 12 renovation and a hemodialysis renovation. The funding is part of a record $4.8 billion in nationwide VA facility modernization spending in fiscal year 2026.

    Facility upgrades in Lake City mean construction and renovation work, and they support the construction filings that rose to 33 this week.

    Who this helps

    • general contractors
    • electricians
    • HVAC contractors
    • elevator installers

    VA North Florida/South Georgia Health Care, 2026-08-03

So what

What it means

The week is down, but the mix points to where the work is. Construction, transportation and warehousing, and manufacturing all grew, and the public record backs them up with new residential plats, an industrial de-packing facility and a renovation at a major employer. Retail rose too, in step with a new neighborhood business zone in Ocala. For someone selling to new businesses, the openings this week are in the building trades, freight and logistics, and the professional services that support a growing base of startups and health care work.

Methodology

How we counted

Why we report a few weeks later

Florida's official business records are often still being updated for up to two weeks after a business first registers.

To give those records time to fully settle, we report on a week of filings about three weeks after it happens. Reporting a little later lets us show complete, accurate numbers instead of a partial early count.

We count new business filings recorded by the state for the region's counties each week. We wait about two weeks after the week ends for the state to finish recording all filings, so the counts are complete and accurate.

External sources

Frequently asked questions

Why is the week total down if several industries grew?
The biggest drop was in real estate and rental and leasing, which fell to 21 from 51. Property holding and asset protection also eased. That pullback in holding style filings pulled the total down even as construction, retail and professional services all grew.
Which county led new business filings this week?
Marion County led with 165 filings, up 9 from the prior week. Ocala alone accounted for 138 of those. Alachua County followed at 107 but slipped by 25.
What does the manufacturing jump mean?
Manufacturing logged 9 new filings, more than double its usual weekly pace of about 4. It is a small count, so it can swing, but it lines up with renovation and industrial work on the public record this period.

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