Task force delves into fiscal future of college sports in Florida
Florida’s public university leaders on Monday began charting a path through the new world order of college athletics, where legal rulings and athlete compensation are reshaping how schools compete — and how they pay for it. A newly formed task force created by the State University System’s Board of Governors held its first meeting, bringing together trustees, athletic directors and outside advisers to confront the financial and legal uncertainty surrounding name, image and likeness, or NIL. More from the Tampa Bay Times and the News Service of Florida.
Orlando fintech secures largest funding round yet amid AI investment surge
An Orlando-based startup has closed on its largest funding round yet as it looks to scale its AI-driven decision platform. Fintech platform Worth completed a $30 million Series A funding round led by Fulcrum Equity Partners, Amex Ventures and TTV Capital. The money comes after TTV Capital previously led a $25 million seed round in the firm in 2025. Siblings Sal Rehmetullah and Suneera Madhani co-founded Worth in 2023 after founding and growing Stax Payments into a unicorn company with a more than $1 billion valuation in 2022. More from the Orlando Business Journal.
Inter Miami and adidas ink deal, Nu Stadium to feature largest team store in MLS
Be prepared to see a lot of adidas logos around Inter Miami’s Nu Stadium, set to open April 4 for the game against Austin FC. The club and adidas on Tuesday announced a five-year club-level partnership. As part of the deal, Inter Miami’s 11,000 square-foot, two-story team store, the largest in Major League Soccer, will feature adidas experiences for shoppers. MLS has a league-wide partnership with adidas, but this marks the first MLS club-specific agreement of its kind. More from the Miami Herald.
Aircraft maker prepares for production at Cecil Airport
Otto Aerospace is putting into motion its plan to build a production facility in Jacksonville, as the city issued a permit to the aircraft maker for interior demolition in a hangar at Cecil Airport. Otto, based in Texas, announced in June 2025 it would establish a manufacturing and production facility to build its Phantom 3500 business jet at Cecil Airport. More from Jacksonville Today.
Naples area home sales surge as buyers absorb inventory
A surge of seasonal buyers in February accelerated home sales across the Naples area, shrinking inventory and reinforcing demand as Southwest Florida’s peak season continues. Pending sales, which track homes under contract, jumped 55.9% from a year earlier and rose 23.4% from January, according to the Naples Area Board of Realtors’ February 2026 Market Report. Much of the activity came from out-of-state buyers, particularly from the Northeast, alongside steady interest in both resale homes and new construction. More from Gulfshore Business.
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Business Profile
Meet the invisible bouncer behind online betting
Every time someone places a sports bet on their phone, a silent decision happens in the background. Before the wager goes through, a system checks a simple but critical question: where is the bettor really located? And perhaps more important: are they lying about it? Enter Xpoint. The company builds geolocation software used by sportsbooks, online casinos, and other real-money gaming platforms to verify whether players are allowed to place bets from their current location.
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Obtainable luxury
Growing up in Brooklyn, Mendy Chudaitov was fascinated by architecture and the elements that make a neighborhood — strong design elements, and accessible public spaces such as parks, art and restaurants. He knew he wanted to be a developer, and at age 18 he founded Lefferts Holdings. A quarter century later, Lefferts — named for the thoroughfare he grew up on — is in the midst of a multi-condominium plan in Miami Beach's North Beach area.
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