Pinellas County
While many people are drawn to the world-renowned beaches of Pinellas County, a well-trained workforce, extensive network of infrastructure, high-quality colleges and universities and an entrepreneurial spirit, make the County an ideal environment for business and industry as well.
Anchored by the urban markets of Clearwater and St. Petersburg, Pinellas County surprisingly has the second largest base of manufacturing employment in the state. In recent years, through relationships with major universities and high-tech institutes, Pinellas has become a center for research and development in the fields of marine science, electronic instruments and sensors and nanotechnology.
Pinellas has several well-developed “industry clusters” in multiple fields, including information technology and aviation/aerospace, which means there is an extensive network of suppliers, service-providers and business associations to support operations in these varied fields. There are sites and buildings available for every possible use, as well as construction-ready sites.
Together with Pinellas County Economic Development, the County helps entrepreneurs create high-tech jobs through business loans and promotes innovation and research to encourage the technology industries. For the sixth year in a row, Pinellas leads the state in the amount of workforce training funds disbursed to local companies to upgrade the skills of their employees.
A number of unique financing options and innovative incentives exist to attract high-wage jobs and support existing businesses. This year, Pinellas launched an Economic Gardening pilot program to provide loans to startup businesses. Pinellas County is clearly one of the leading climates for new or expanding businesses in the state.
Notable Employers: Jabil Circuit, Raymond James Financial, Tech Data, SRI International, Draper Labs