Many southern cities characterize themselves as the “Wall Street of the South,” but as Florida’s preferred business destination and with many of the nation’s leading corporations in banking, finance, and insurance calling Tampa Bay home, we can rightfully stake claim to that title.

Tampa not only leads the state in high-wage STEM jobs but has also become a hub for IT companies of all shapes and sizes, a budding entrepreneurial scene and a leader in specialized areas such as cybersecurity and data science.

The Tampa area has emerged as a driving force behind the state’s fast-growing life sciences industry with more than 3,000 life sciences and healthcare companies employing more than 92,000 in Hillsborough County. Globally renowned corporations have joined local institutions in contributing to Tampa’s growing reputation as a hub for research and development.

With one of the largest veteran workforces in the nation and the presence of MacDill Air Force Base with two, four-star combatant commands and dozens of mission partners and specialized intelligence firms, Tampa is the ideal location for the country’s leading defense and security companies.

Manufacturing has a long history in Tampa among a diverse range of industries. Today, our region boasts the second largest manufacturing employment in the state, and our manufacturers are pioneering the art of modern manufacturing technology in everything from turbine engines to luxury yachts, medical devices to consumer products.

Distribution and logistics continues to grow as a vital industry in Florida as the manufacturing industry thrives, the state’s population rises, and billions of dollars’ worth of goods flow in and out of our state’s ports and airports.

The Tampa region is home to 20 corporate headquarters with over $1 billion in annual revenue, eight of which are Fortune 1000 companies, and another 500 foreign-owned companies. As the commercial and industrial heart of the region, Hillsborough County is a leading location for corporate site selection in North America.