Anyone familiar with The Palm Beaches knows agriculture and tourism make up most of its economic pie. Looking at the remaining slices, however, you might be surprised by the other industries that contribute to the destination’s continuous growth, job creation, and rising demand. Together, the county’s top industries comprise a network of shared knowledge, expertise, volunteers and resources that support groups and meetings, while cultivating an environment where residents and future generations can live, work and play. 

Below are five industries you might be surprised to learn exist in The Palm Beaches, with information obtained through DTPB’s partnership with the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County. Find out how you can leverage these locally-based industry leaders at your next event, in our Destination Champions program guide.

Life Sciences

Flanked by the world’s top two standalone institutes for biomedical research – Scripps Research and Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience – The Palm Beaches’ Life Sciences community continues to position itself as a critical epicenter for healthcare innovation in the United States. The county is home to 700 life science companies and more than 15 hospitals, including the award-winning Jupiter Medical Center, whose cancer program is among only 30 in the nation accredited with commendation as a Comprehensive Community Cancer Program. Scientists at Scripps also have been on the frontlines of COVID-19 research, working to find a vaccine as well as develop drugs and antibody treatments. 

Information Technology

IBM created the first personal computer in Boca Raton in August 1981, so it is no surprise information technology companies have maintained a significant presence in the county. More than 1,700 IT, telecommunications and support companies have put their stamp here, gaining access to 800,000 technology employees throughout South Florida. Big names in The Palm Beaches include HotelPlanner.com, LexisNexis Risk Solutions, Florida Power and Light, and CrossMatch Technologies. One of the IT industry’s leading esports and gaming organizations, Misfits Gaming, also recently relocated its operations from California and Germany and opened new corporate headquarters in Boca Raton.

Corporate Headquarters

ADT, Carrier Global, NextEra Energy, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, TBC Corporation, and Office Depot are only a handful of the more than 75 companies with corporate headquarters in The Palm Beaches. Carrier – a global leader in innovative heating, ventilating, air conditioning, refrigeration, fire, security, and building automation technologies – houses its world headquarters in a building that exudes the same standard of sustainability to which it is committed. Last year, the Carrier Center for Intelligent Buildings in Palm Beach Gardens became the first building in Florida to win Platinum certification through the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). A few miles north in Juno Beach are the headquarters of NextEra Energy, the world’s largest producer of wind and solar energy.

Financial Services

“Wall Street South,” as The Palm Beaches is known, is where you will find Goldman Sachs, Blackrock, Blue Sea Capital, and nearly 2,400 other financial service companies. It is estimated that 40 billionaires reside in the county. The numbers only continue to rise as demand increases. Roughly 100 asset management firms and hedge funds have opened offices in The Palm Beaches, within the past four years alone. Much of the action happens in West Palm Beach’s sophisticated Flagler Financial District – less than one mile from the Palm Beach County Convention Center – where executives meet in Class A office space overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway.

Distribution Logistics

More than 4.2 million square feet throughout The Palm Beaches is dedicated to 15-plus distribution centers for major companies such as Aldi, Walgreens, FedEx, Nestle Waters, and Niagara Bottling. In addition to Florida’s position as the commercial gateway of the Western hemisphere, The Palm Beaches is conveniently central to the state’s most populated areas and world markets. Access to a wide network of transportation options, including the county’s own international airport and shipping port, further increase companies’ logistical capabilities.