Jobless rate continues to move up
Florida’s jobless rate ticked up for a seventh consecutive month, according to a Department of Commerce report released Friday. The unemployment rate for March was 4.7 percent, reflecting an estimated 523,000 Floridians qualified as out-of-work from a labor force of 11.15 million. There was a monthly increase of 7,000 unemployed workers, and a jump of 120,000 over the last 12 months. More from the News Service of Florida.
South Florida business bankruptcies rose 30% in 2025
South Florida recorded 836 business bankruptcy filings in 2025, up 30% year-over-year. Miami-Dade County led the region with 382 filings, accounting for nearly 34% of Florida's total. The Kaplan Group noted a rise in Chapter 11 filings, suggesting restructuring-focused distress cycles. Overall, Florida recorded 2,480 business bankruptcy filings in 2025, ranking No. 3 in the nation, behind only California and Texas. More from the South Florida Business Journal.
Acron Technologies acquires artificial intelligence company
St. Petersburg-based Acron Technologies, a portfolio company of private equity firm TJC L.P., has acquired Portland, Oregon-based Sightline Intelligence. Acron Technologies, which is a group of multiple standalone organizations including Acron Aviation, develops products for the defense and aerospace industries. Acron Aviation, a pilot training, avionics and flight data intelligence solutions provider, moved its global headquarters to the City Center office tower in downtown St. Petersburg in February. More from the St. Pete Catalyst.
New spacecraft processing complex coming to NASA's Kennedy Space Center
After years of behind-the-scenes planning, All Points Logistics has secured a 64-acre lease from NASA to construct more than a half-million square feet of spacecraft pre-launch processing facilities at Kennedy Space Center. The Merritt Island aerospace-logistics company hopes to break ground for construction in fall, President and CEO Phil Monkress said. If all goes smoothly, a logistics facility may open in late 2027, followed by a 200-foot-tall processing facility in early 2028. More from Florida Today.
Spirit Airlines crowdfunding site gets $88 million in pledges
Could the defunct Spirit Airlines get crowdfunded? A website set up to collect pledges toward buying the bankrupt Florida-based carrier and running it as a cooperative operation crashed multiple times over the weekend under a flood of interest. As of Monday morning, May 4, "Spirit 2.0" at letsbuyspirit.com had received pledges of more than $88 million from about 125,000 patrons. More from the Gainesville Sun.
Arts Business
Orlando Museum of Art reveals 2026 Florida Prize finalists
We are less than a month away from the opening of the Orlando Museum of Art’s 2026 Florida Prize in Contemporary Art exhibition. This year’s exhibit marks the 12th edition of the prize, given to an artist or artistic team working in the state. This year’s lineup of finalists, all of whom will participate in the exhibit, mostly hail from South Florida. While generally 10 artists are chosen as finalists, the 2026 group is slightly bigger, with 12, because two of the finalists are actually two-person artistic teams.
» More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Florida Trend Exclusive
Major acquisitions
Community bank company Seacoast Banking has a storied history in Stuart in Martin County on Florida's Treasure Coast. Launched with a charter in Okeechobee in 1930, founder Dennis S. Hudson Sr. moved it to Stuart three years later where it became a hallmark of the local community. It sponsored a telephone time-and-temperature line that locals could call. Kids could get a moon-rocket coin bank for saving their pennies. A more recent storyline: acquisition and expansion.
» Read more from Florida Trend.