Florida’s rise as a major business hub is no longer a trend. It is becoming a structural shift. Over the past several years, entrepreneurs, investors, and executives have increasingly migrated from traditional business centers like New York and California to cities such as Miami, Tampa, Palm Beach, and Orlando.

Drawn by favorable tax policy, a growing venture ecosystem, and a rapidly expanding concentration of capital and talent, founders are building companies in Florida across industries ranging from fintech and media to wealth management and artificial intelligence.

Here are ten entrepreneurs helping shape the next chapter of Florida’s business landscape.

1. Marc Lore, Founder of Wonder Group

Marc Lore has repeatedly built companies designed to disrupt large industries. After selling Jet.com to Walmart for approximately $3 billion, Lore has continued pursuing ventures spanning logistics, food delivery, sports ownership, and urban innovation. His growing footprint in Florida reflects the broader migration of elite entrepreneurs and investors into the state.

2. Grant Cardone, CEO of Cardone Capital

Grant Cardone has built one of the most recognizable entrepreneurial brands in the country through a combination of real estate investing, business education, media, and personal branding. His companies oversee billions in multifamily real estate assets while his aggressive marketing style and social media reach continue to make him one of Florida’s highest-profile business personalities.

3. Charles Dombek, CEO of Axium Wealth

Charles Dombek is a leader in modernizing wealth management and tax strategy for affluent clients. Through Axium Wealth, Dombek has built a firm focused on advanced tax planning, estate strategies, and long-term wealth preservation. Dombek has emerged as a pivotal voice in sophisticated financial structuring and tax-efficient wealth growth.

4. Dena Jalbert, Founder and CEO of Align Business Advisory Services

Dena Jalbert has built Align Business Advisory into one of the most visible lower middle market M&A advisory firms in the country. The firm specializes in advising founder-led businesses on navigating acquisitions, exits, and private equity investments. As institutional investor appetite for durable lower middle market businesses continues growing rapidly, Jalbert has become the leading voice in that landscape.

5. Saleem Khatri, CEO of Lavu

Saleem Khatri is CEO of Lavu, one of the largest restaurant POS platforms in the country. Under his leadership, Lavu recently launched Marty AI, the first AI general manager for restaurants. He is recognized as one of the leading builders in AI today, disrupting one of America’s largest and oldest industries with a platform that is bringing AI to the forefront of main street businesses.

6. Charles Gaudet, CEO of Predictable Profits

Known as the “CEO Whisperer”, Charles Gaudet has built a strong following among entrepreneurs seeking to scale beyond founder-led growth. As the CEO of Predictable Profits, he advises business owners on sales systems, leadership development, and operational scalability. His influence has transcends executive leadership, marketing, sales to where he has also become a sought-after advisor on how AI is reshaping the future of building companies.

7. Maxwell Finn, Co-Founder of Unicorn Marketers

Maxwell Finn co-founded Unicorn Marketers, which has become known for challenging the traditional digital marketing agency model through AI-driven operational efficiency and elite marketing talent. Finn is recognized as one of the country’s leading voices on digital advertising and has become the go-to advisor for companies seeking to harness AI to drive results in their digital ad strategy.

8. Steven Nigro, Founder and Managing Partner of TAG Financial Institutions Group

As a veteran of the investment banking industry, Nigro is the founder of TAG Financial Institutions Group, the leading investment bank for the insurance and financial services sector. Nigro has more than 40 years of experience as a banker, investor and board member. Together with his wife, Jin, he founded Tu Lucha, a non-profit organization that uses boxing to empower at-risk youth.

9. Jonathan Javitt, CEO of NRx Pharmaceuticals

Dr. Jonathan Javitt has built a career at the intersection of biotechnology, public health, and innovation. As CEO of NRx Pharmaceuticals, he has focused on developing therapies targeting unmet medical needs in areas including mental health and critical care. A physician, entrepreneur, and former health policy advisor, Javitt brings a rare combination of scientific, regulatory, and business expertise to the biotech sector. His leadership has helped position NRx as a company to watch as demand for breakthrough treatments and next-generation healthcare solutions continues to grow.

10. Shama Hyder, Marketing and AI Thought Leader

Shama Hyder built her reputation early as one of the leading voices in digital marketing and branding. Through building Zen Media, she advised global brands on public relations, social media strategy, and digital communications. Hyder is now a prominent speaker and author, helping bridge the worlds of entrepreneurship, media, and modern brand-building.

Written in partnership with Tom White