In recent years, business investment in Brevard County, Florida, known as the Space Coast, has completely taken off. The place that has launched every single space shuttle to ever orbit the Earth is now at the heart of the next generation of technology and innovation. When you think of the right place to grow your business, make sure this community, located on the east coast of Florida, is on your list.

Brevard County is a one-of-a-kind economic success story. Corporations that have made investments in the community are the reason this powerhouse is gaining attention around the world. In the wake of the retirement of NASA’s space shuttle programme, the area has seen some of the world’s best corporations bring in new operations and build campus-style facilities.

Florida’s Space Coast is home to the world’s only quintimodal community. The transportation infrastructure transports people and goods by air, land, rail, sea and space

Pride of place
Imagine your business located where the neighbours on one side are Fortune 500 companies, and on the other side are high-tech startups working to create the next big innovation. What sets Florida’s Space Coast apart? It’s the unique business climate, workforce, and sought-after lifestyle.

Helping to connect the dots between industry and the community is the Economic Development Commission (EDC) of Florida’s Space Coast, an organisation that is responsible for attracting new business and investment, and encouraging the expansion of existing industries throughout the Space Coast. Through worldwide business development efforts, the EDC has been successful in attracting an international mix to the area, including French-owned Vision Systems and Brazil-based Embraer.

While the Space Coast is the most technologically advanced region within Florida, the state as a whole is outshining much of the rest of the US. This is not just for its moniker, ‘the Sunshine State’, but also for its lack of state income tax and a consistent ranking by US-based CEOs as the second-best state in which to do business.

Abundant achievements
The Space Coast boasts many attractive features. One of the largest capital investment deals in the US was completed in the region, as major defence contractor Northrop Grumman committed in a big way – to the tune of 1,800 potential jobs and a capital investment of $500m over the coming years.

A world leader in corporate aircraft, Brazil-based Embraer considers Brevard County to be the centre of gravity for its business jets, having just invested in a fourth facility at the county’s Melbourne International Airport. Embraer already counts well-known companies like Harris Corporation, General Electric and DRS as neighbours.

Perhaps most excitingly, on the heels of a decades-long manned shuttle programme, the extraterrestrial focus has shifted to commercial space. Brevard County will continue to serve as the backdrop to a number of historic launches, including Lockheed Martin’s Orion space vehicle and Boeing’s X-37B orbital vehicle.

The brightest minds call Brevard home, and it’s here that the world’s largest companies come to find and utilise this talent. The region was ranked first in Florida and fifth in the US by Brookings Institute in 2013, for the largest share of science, technology, engineering and maths-related jobs. Finally, as evidence of the region’s progressive nature, Florida’s Space Coast is home to the world’s only quintimodal community. The transportation infrastructure transports people and goods by air, land, rail, sea and space.

If the cutting edge is where you want to be, Florida’s Space Coast has the talent, infrastructure and major corporate players to take you there. It’s in our DNA.