August 19, 2026 — Central Florida (I-4 Corridor & Space Coast) new business activity

• electrical contractors: Orlando Economic Partnership, Florida Power & Light Newsroom
• staffing agencies: Economic Development Commission of Florida's Space Coast, Orlando Economic Partnership
• accountants: Orlando Economic Partnership
• aerospace engineers: Space Florida
• aerospace suppliers: Economic Development Commission of Florida's Space Coast
• business attorneys: Orlando Economic Partnership
• business consultants: Orlando Economic Partnership
• commercial real estate brokers: Orlando Economic Partnership
• event service providers: Orange County Government Newsroom
• excavation crews: City of Lakeland
• fabricators: Economic Development Commission of Florida's Space Coast
• grant writers: Orlando Economic Partnership
• hospitality businesses: Orange County Government Newsroom
• industrial contractors: Economic Development Commission of Florida's Space Coast
• interior fit-out firms: Orange County Government Newsroom
• IT service providers: Orlando Economic Partnership
• lab fit-out contractors: Orlando Economic Partnership
• machinists: Economic Development Commission of Florida's Space Coast
• marketing firms: Orlando Economic Partnership
• paving contractors: City of Lakeland
• payroll providers: Orlando Economic Partnership
• recruiters: Orlando Economic Partnership
• research contractors: Space Florida
• semiconductor suppliers: Orlando Economic Partnership
• site preparation crews: Florida Power & Light Newsroom
• solar installers: Florida Power & Light Newsroom
• space sector suppliers: Space Florida
• tech training providers: Orlando Economic Partnership
• test and integration firms: Space Florida
• theater contractors: Orange County Government Newsroom
• traffic control firms: City of Lakeland
• utility contractors: City of Lakeland
• vegetation management firms: Florida Power & Light Newsroom

Central Florida logged 2,944 new business filings the week of July 29 to August 4, up 7.1% from the week before and nearly even with the same week last year.

Central Florida recorded 2,944 new business filings for the week of July 29 to August 4, a gain of 195 over the prior week's 2,749. That 7.1% step up is the first weekly increase in the current run, and it lands almost exactly on the same week last year, which logged 2,948. The read is a return to a steady pace rather than a surge.

The gain is not spread evenly. Professional, scientific and technical services added 102 filings to reach 443, the largest single jump of any sector, and health care and social assistance rose 38 to 170. Information filings hit 144, up 50 and more than double their usual weekly pace, while wholesale trade climbed 18 to 63. Real estate and rental fell 26 to 202, and other services dropped 40 to 183.

The growth is concentrated in the I-4 core and the Space Coast. Orange County added 144 filings to reach 1,217, with Orlando alone up 132 to 907. Volusia climbed 56 to 321, and Melbourne rose 20 to 96. The 13 week average is still drifting lower, so this week reads as a rebound inside a longer, softer stretch.

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.

• 2025-26
• 2024-25
• 2023-24
• 2022-23
• 2021-22

New business formation usually runs highest around Mar and is quietest around Dec, holding near 12,500 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.

Professional Services grew the most this week, 101 more (up 29.6%). Personal & Other Services dropped the most, 43 fewer (down 19.3%). 6 other sectors shown here also grew.

Orange County led the region this week with 1,217 new filings.

• The Economic Development Commission of Florida's Space Coast reports that Relativity Space is expanding its operations on the Space Coast, an expansion announced by Governor Ron DeSantis at the 2026 Farnborough Airshow.

  A growing aerospace manufacturer pulls in construction and fit-out work for its facilities, then steady demand for the machining, fabrication, and professional services that support advanced manufacturing.

  Who this helps

  • aerospace suppliers
  • machinists
  • fabricators
  • industrial contractors
  • staffing agencies

  Economic Development Commission of Florida's Space Coast, 2026-07-20

• Space Florida and the UK Space Agency signed an agreement at the 2026 Farnborough International Airshow committing $400,000 to joint projects, the first partnership under the Florida International Aerospace Innovation Fund.

  A funded international aerospace partnership channels money into joint projects, which means contract work for the engineering, testing, and support firms that serve the space sector on the Space Coast.

  Who this helps

  • aerospace engineers
  • test and integration firms
  • space sector suppliers
  • research contractors

  Space Florida, 2026-07-21

• The Orlando Economic Partnership reports that Concentrix expanded its Lake Mary operations in Seminole County, adding more than 470 new jobs to support two new business-to-business customer contracts.

  More than 470 new jobs means a hiring wave that feeds staffing and recruiting firms, plus the office space, IT, and payroll services a growing operation needs.

  Who this helps

  • staffing agencies
  • recruiters
  • commercial real estate brokers
  • IT service providers
  • payroll providers

  Orlando Economic Partnership, 2026-08-12

• Belgium-based fabless semiconductor company Magics Technologies announced its expansion into Osceola County, establishing its first US headquarters at NeoCity.

  A semiconductor company setting up its first US headquarters brings construction and lab fit-out work, then ongoing demand for the specialized suppliers and professional services that support chip design and advanced manufacturing.

  Who this helps

  • semiconductor suppliers
  • lab fit-out contractors
  • electrical contractors
  • business attorneys
  • accountants

  Orlando Economic Partnership, 2026-08-18

• The City of Orlando and the Orlando Economic Partnership launched the 2026 Orlando Tech Grant, a $65,000 funding initiative supporting grassroots tech programs, talent development, and innovation-focused work across Orlando.

  A $65,000 grant pool aimed at tech programs and talent development creates openings for the training, marketing, and professional services firms that help early-stage tech efforts get off the ground.

  Who this helps

  • tech training providers
  • marketing firms
  • business consultants
  • grant writers

  Orlando Economic Partnership, 2026-08-18

• The Winter Park Playhouse opened its newly renovated and expanded theater, a project made possible in part by an Orange County arts and cultural grant funded by Tourist Development Tax revenues.

  A completed theater renovation and expansion means finished construction and fit-out work, and a larger venue that draws more visitors to the surrounding restaurants, shops, and service businesses.

  Who this helps

  • theater contractors
  • interior fit-out firms
  • hospitality businesses
  • event service providers

  Orange County Government Newsroom, 2026-08-11

• The City of Lakeland Water Utilities Department announced overnight sewer rehabilitation work near the intersection of Wabash Avenue and George Jenkins Boulevard, with overnight road closures from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.

  Sewer main rehabilitation is underground utility work that goes to the excavation, paving, and utility contractors who bid on municipal infrastructure jobs.

  Who this helps

  • utility contractors
  • excavation crews
  • paving contractors
  • traffic control firms

  City of Lakeland, 2026-08-04

• Florida Power & Light announced it has reached 120 solar energy centers operating across Florida, the largest utility-scale solar portfolio in America, and that its solar investments have saved customers more than $1.3 billion to date by avoiding fuel costs.

  A growing solar buildout across the state means ongoing site preparation, panel installation, and electrical work, plus the maintenance and vegetation management that keep solar centers running.

  Who this helps

  • solar installers
  • electrical contractors
  • site preparation crews
  • vegetation management firms

  Florida Power & Light Newsroom, 2026-08-18

This week's 2,944 filings, up 7.1% and nearly even with last year, point to a market that is steady rather than surging, with the growth concentrated in professional services, health care, and technology. For someone selling to new businesses here, the concrete openings are in the developments behind those numbers: a semiconductor headquarters landing at NeoCity, a 470 job expansion in Lake Mary, an aerospace manufacturer growing on the Space Coast, and a statewide solar buildout. The firms best placed to act are the contractors, staffing agencies, IT providers, and professional services that these projects and their new tenants will hire first.

These counts come from Florida's official business filing records for the eight counties in the Central Florida region. We wait about two weeks after the week ends for the state to finish recording all of its filings, so the counts are complete and accurate.

Frequently asked questions

How many new businesses filed in Central Florida this week?

2,944 new business filings were recorded for the week of July 29 to August 4, up 195 from the prior week.

Which sectors grew the most?

Professional, scientific and technical services added 102 filings to reach 443, the largest gain of any sector. Health care rose 38 to 170, and information filings hit 144, up 50.

Where is the growth concentrated?

Orange County added 144 filings to reach 1,217, with Orlando alone up 132 to 907. Volusia climbed 56 to 321, and Melbourne rose 20 to 96.

Is this a surge or a return to normal?

A return to normal. The week is up 7.1% from the prior week but nearly even with the same week last year, and the 13 week average is still drifting lower.