The Florida Council of 100 Launches “Ambition Accelerated,” a Multimillion-Dollar National Campaign Highlighting Florida’s Gold Coast as a Center for the Next Generation of American Growth

Seeded With $10 Million from Stephen M. Ross and Ken Griffin, the Campaign Targets CEOs, Founders and Investors Evaluating Where to Build and Scale Next

THE GOLD COAST, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, the Florida Council of 100 and its Foundation are launching “Ambition Accelerated,” a nationwide campaign grounded in the premise that Florida is now one of the best places in America to build and scale a company. As business leaders face rising costs, regulatory complexity and intensifying competition for talent, Florida’s Gold Coast has become increasingly attractive for CEOs, founders and investors seeking a pro-growth environment, long-term predictability and a strong quality of life.

The “Ambition Accelerated” campaign is launching tonight during the Wall Street Journal Invest Live conference in West Palm Beach. Seeded with $10 million from Related Ross CEO and Chairman Stephen M. Ross and Citadel Founder and CEO Ken Griffin, the campaign highlights what leading executives already recognize: that Florida’s Gold Coast, which spans West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami and their respective counties, has emerged as a key driver of Florida’s broader economic momentum and one of the few large-scale markets delivering the conditions for innovators and executives to succeed.

With one of the nation’s most pro-business regulatory environments and one of its most robust talent pipelines, Florida’s Gold Coast outpaces its peers, delivering the highest GDP growth over the past three years and ranking third in talent attraction among major metropolitan regions.

Ross and Griffin both began their firms and careers in legacy American cities — New York City, Detroit and Chicago — that had once aligned policy, capital and leadership around business growth. Both executives see Florida’s Gold Coast as the current center for enterprise and economic dynamism in the nation, where ambitious companies in 2026 have the right conditions to succeed.

“In previous generations, there were a limited number of American cities where companies could access opportunity and build at scale,” said Stephen M. Ross. “That’s why I began my career building my businesses in those cities. But to me, it’s clear that the next generation of companies belongs along Florida’s Gold Coast from West Palm Beach to Miami. This region offers a clear competitive advantage — a strong operating environment, a flourishing innovation ecosystem and public leadership that works constructively with the private sector. This combination of factors helps companies based on Florida’s Gold Coast outperform competitors based elsewhere.”

“Where you choose to build a business determines how much time is spent driving growth versus navigating bureaucracy,” said Ken Griffin. “Miami and the broader South Florida Gold Coast offer deep talent, regulatory clarity and an extraordinary quality of life. These are not secondary considerations; they are foundations for long-term success, and their impact compounds over time.”

The campaign will be targeting CEOs, founders and investors through advertising and creative activations asking them direct questions about building in South Florida versus other regions in the west and northeast. Examples of these questions include: “What if you could scale in the top major metro region for GDP growth and in a state that's among the lowest in business regulation in the nation?” and “What if your business could reduce gas and utility costs by as much as 30% compared to other major metros?”

The campaign’s creative activations include a series of interactive installations deployed during the Wall Street Journal Invest Live conference. Outside the Norton Museum, a putting-green installation will invite attendees to experience the contrast between operating in high-friction business environments and Florida’s Gold Coast. Data-driven projections will turn the urban landscape into a live display of the region’s economic momentum.

The Florida Council of 100 will also engage CEOs and senior decision-makers nationwide in conversations about the growth opportunities on Florida’s Gold Coast.

“Every CEO is making the same set of decisions right now — where can we hire, where can we operate efficiently, and where can we scale with confidence,” said Mike Simas, President and CEO of the Florida Council of 100. “Florida’s Gold Coast is answering those questions better than anywhere in the country, and this campaign is about putting that advantage directly in front of the leaders deciding where to build next.”

Florida’s Gold Coast By the Numbers:

• #1 in GDP growth over the past 3 years compared to major metropolitan regions
• #1 in new business formations per capita among major metropolitan regions
• #3 in talent attraction among major metropolitan regions
• #5 in tax competitiveness among populous states. And no state income tax
• Gas and utility costs on Florida’s Gold Coast are up to a third more affordable than other major metropolitan regions
• Florida ranks #2 for least business regulations per capita in the nation
• Florida ranks #1 in higher education

As part of the campaign, the Florida Council of 100 also launched GoldCoastFlorida.com, a dedicated website for CEOs and founders evaluating a move to Florida’s Gold Coast. Executives can request a concierge conversation on the website to explore how Florida’s Gold Coast aligns with their growth plans.

About The Florida Council of 100 and The Florida Council of 100 Foundation

The Florida Council of 100 is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization of business leaders dedicated to improving Florida’s quality of life and economic well-being. Founded in 1961 at the request of Governor Farris Bryant, the Council serves as a trusted advisor to Florida’s elected officials and policymakers. Its membership represents over 200 companies employing more than 1.3 million Floridians, collectively shaping the state’s future through business-driven policy solutions and direct economic impact initiatives. The Florida Council of 100 Foundation is the Council’s nonprofit affiliate, focused on research, education, and strategic initiatives that support long-term economic growth and prosperity across Florida. The Foundation plays a key role in identifying opportunities, funding forward-thinking programs, and driving collaborative partnerships to strengthen Florida’s talent pipeline and innovation economy.