The Central Florida belt
The network of French-speaking founders building Central Florida
Healthcare, tech and artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, life sciences, aerospace, industry, retail, professional services and consulting. One network, a free and claimable directory, and three paths: setting up, growing, raising.
Start with setting up Explore the region
- 10
- Cities covered
- 6
- Sectors identified
- 18
- Practical guides
The corridor in figures
After Quebec, Florida is home to North America’s second largest French-speaking community. The Tampa–Orlando–Space Coast corridor holds a share of it that nobody records.
- 103K
- Floridians speak French at home
- 10
- Cities on the corridor
- 6
- Sectors covered
- 18
- Practical guides
SelectFlorida, 2026
The network’s sectors
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Tech & artificial intelligence
Software, data, applied AI, simulation. The most accessible sector for an arriving founder, little capital, few licences, and the one where local competition is fiercest.
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Cybersecurity & defence
Systems security, defence subcontracting, military simulation. Orlando concentrates a significant share of the simulation industry; market access requires clearances that take a long time to prepare.
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Biotech, pharma & health
Clinical research, medical devices, life sciences. A long-cycle, heavily regulated sector where market entry is prepared years ahead and university partnerships matter as much as capital.
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Aerospace & aviation
From the Space Coast to Sanford: launch, subcontracting, maintenance, training. The region’s most international ecosystem, and the one where several French groups already operate.
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Engineering & industry
Design offices, manufacturing, automation, industrial logistics. The I-4 corridor is its backbone, and demand for qualified engineers outstrips local supply.
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Finance, tax & business services
Consulting, accounting, legal, insurance, recruitment. The sector that serves all the others, and the first a French-speaking entrepreneur needs on arrival, in their own language.
Our region
Orlando at the centre, Tampa and the Space Coast at either end: a coast-to-coast belt shaped by the I-4 highway corridor. French Executive Network covers this perimeter and not the whole state, South Florida is already served by established organizations.
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Orlando
Heart of the network. Software, artificial intelligence, simulation and defence, life sciences, business services.
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Tampa
Western anchor of the I-4 corridor and the belt’s largest metropolitan area. Port, finance, business services, cybersecurity and healthcare.
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Melbourne
South Space Coast. Defence, embedded electronics, research and development.
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Lakeland
Heart of the I-4 corridor. Distribution, light industry, business aviation and maintenance.
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Sanford
International airport. Aviation, aircraft maintenance, training and logistics.
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Cocoa · Space Coast
Atlantic coast. Aerospace, launch subcontracting, engineering and industrial cybersecurity.
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Kissimmee
South of Orlando. Business services, logistics and corridor subcontracting.
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Winter Park
North-east of Orlando. Consulting, finance, legal services and software startups.
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Sarasota
Gulf coast. Life sciences, consulting and financial services; a growing medical research cluster.
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Bradenton
Neighbouring Sarasota. Manufacturing, port logistics and industrial subcontracting.
Our programmes
01
Les Premiers Pas
Thirty days of mentoring on arrival, by a member already settled here. Free, with nothing expected in return and no billed service: this is mutual aid, not consulting.
02
Le Groupe des dirigeants
Quarterly gatherings for business owners and freelancers, by invitation. A closed format with no outside speaker, so that the hard subjects can actually be raised.
03
Les Jeudis du réseau
One Thursday a month, one hour, one practical subject covered by someone who has lived it. Open to every French speaker in the region, member or not.
French speakers in Florida
After Quebec, Florida is home to North America’s second largest French-speaking community. Canada is the state’s second largest foreign investor, ahead of France.
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300+
Canadian-owned companies in Florida
across more than 500 branch locations.
-
54,000
jobs supported by Canadian-owned affiliates
more than 15% of all foreign-investment employment in the state.
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$11.1bn
in Florida–Canada merchandise trade (2022)
$5.3bn of exports, Florida’s 2nd market, and $5.8bn of imports.
-
2nd
largest foreign direct investor in Florida (2020)
$14.5bn in gross property, plant and equipment.
Source : SelectFlorida , Canada
These figures cover the whole of Florida and, unless stated otherwise, foreign-owned companies. They measure neither French Executive Network’s audience nor the number of French-speaking businesses in Central Florida.
The French-speaking ecosystem
Florida’s French-speaking economy does not fit inside one organization. An accredited chamber of commerce, a labelled French Tech community, a network of skilled trades, schools, alliances: each has its own trade and its own ground. French Executive Network names them, says what they do in their own words, and sends you to them, because an association that claims to cover everything covers nothing.
- French-American Chamber of Commerce, Florida Florida
- CCI France International International network
- La French Tech Miami South Florida
- FAACT Florida Florida
- Alliance Française d’Orlando Central Florida
- Les Samedis Français Central Florida
- École française d’Orlando Central Florida
Frequently asked
I am in France. Where do I start?
By settling your status before your company. That is the order founders most often invert, and catching up always costs more than anticipating.
Do you have to be French to join?
No. Membership is open to every French speaker, Belgian, Swiss, Canadian, Québécois, Luxembourgish, Moroccan, French-speaking African, and francophiles.
Does French Executive Network recommend firms?
Yes, it is the core of membership: we introduce you by name to the French-speaking accountants, lawyers and tax advisers of the network. Nobody is recommended because they pay.
Why Central Florida and not Miami?
Because Miami has been served since 1983, and the Tampa–Orlando–Space Coast corridor is served by nobody.
Membership
Open to every French speaker in Central Florida
Membership opens the network, the events and the content. It promises no commercial outcome, and it gates nothing: listing a business in the directory is free, and will stay free.
See what it brings