The Florida Model for Sustainable Aerospace Growth
Twenty years ago, the Florida legislature created Space Florida as a public corporation and innovation connector. The state has since emerged as one of the most robust space and aerospace ecosystems in the world by prioritizing long-term foundational investments over short-term subsidies. We spoke with Robert Long, Space Florida's president and CEO. Long is an industry veteran and retired United States Space Force colonel who most recently served as commander for Space Launch Delta 30 and Western Launch and Test Range at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
Florida's business model for aerospace growth is different from that of other states. Explain how it works.
Often what we see across the country is a focus on cash incentives up front. That gets you through the announcement and the first phase. But, depending on the company, that may be it. The Florida model is trying to focus on substance over subsidies. We work hard on lining up aerospace deals that work, and we make sure they last. Instead of a short-term window in which the company has to be successful, we establish a long-term partnership. The benefits of most of our programs accrue over time.
You've modeled your approach after the venture capital world?
Our approach is certainly founded upon really digging into a company, understanding the fundamentals and doing our due diligence. That's targeted around ensuring that we understand not just the finances of the company, but also the infrastructure requirements. What will they need to grow? And does the state have that infrastructure in place? What are the workforce requirements? And of course, what's the long term market outlook for the company? We want to make sure we understand all that before public dollars are committed.
How do you measure success this way?
Ultimately, by whether we're creating a sustainable ecosystem for industry to grow over time. Do we have that infrastructure in place? Is the access to capital there? Is it growing for the foreseeable future? And is the overall ecosystem supportive? If a large aerospace company is looking to grow or relocate into the state, it's about making sure that's all there, not just for that initial activity but to build strong foundations for the future.
Space Florida has worked to boost infrastructure along the Space Florida Launch and Landing Facility so the launch sites can expand. And Amazon Leo recently built their payload processing center nearby. Tell me a little bit about what's happening there.
Florida treats space as an official mode of transportation, and - to my knowledge - it's still the only state that does that. That allows us to be intentional about not just supporting our federal partners in terms of spaceport growth in the Cape Canaveral area, but also looking at it as a system across the state. We have two other licensed spaceports in Florida - Cecil Air and Space Port and Space Coast Regional Airport - and those are important nodes in our spaceport system. We were just talking to one company, recommending they take a look at some of the other spaceports because it'll give them some more flexibility in terms of what they're able to do. Not only does that geographic diversity strengthen resilience by expanding the opportunity beyond the Space Coast, but also it allows us to take advantage of programs that invest in infrastructure at all of those different locations.
How can Florida businesses learn about Space Florida innovation and the research funding opportunities?
We've got around 220 projects in our pipeline right now. We remain focused on making sure that we're not only connecting with companies and educating them on our model and tools, but more importantly, understanding the companies and where they're at in their growth phase. When that company reaches its next milestone and wants to expand further, they can take advantage of a toolkit that allows for growth and expansion in a sustainable way.
For more information on how Space Florida is helping the industry grow, visit spaceflorida.gov. This article originally appeared in the April 2026 SN Focus section on economic development in North America. Download this SN Focus section.
SN Focus reports spotlight new opportunities throughout the industry. Produced by SpaceNews Brand Studio, SN Focus sections on economic development and higher education offer organizations unrivaled exposure to the space industry backed by the authority of SpaceNews.
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