Space Florida

Funds Florida aerospace growth through state programs that support innovation, spaceport infrastructure, and startup acceleration partnerships.

Space Florida is Florida's aerospace economic development authority, created in 2006 by the Florida Legislature as an independent special district. It operates as a quasi-public corporation and uses state appropriations to expand the state's aerospace and space-tech economy.

Its routes include the Financial Toolkit, the Israel Innovation Authority partnership, the International Aerospace Innovation Fund, the Capital Accelerator Program, the Florida Spaceport Improvement Program, the Florida Space Research Program, and the SpaceTech Investor Readiness Program. Public materials cite more than $5.9 billion of economic impact since 2007 and more than $3.3 billion in private investment across 44 spaceport infrastructure projects since 2012.

Eligibility usually centers on Florida-based or Florida-operating aerospace companies, with the Israel partnership reserved for joint Florida-Israel R&D teams and the International Aerospace Innovation Fund requiring at least one Florida-based aerospace company plus an international partner. The Capital Accelerator runs through Florida Venture Forum, while competitive research and infrastructure calls are posted through Space Florida's own channels.