South Florida is becoming more and more of a destination for entrepreneurship and tech startups. Although Silicon Valley, and Austin are well know technology meccas, South Florida is getting some serious traction as a location for young businesses to innovate.

The Technology Business Incubator at the Research Park at Florida Atlantic University will add an additional 10,000 square feet this month.

The expansion is the second in 10 months for the incubator that serves as a resource center and office for entrepreneurs from FAU and the South Florida community, according to a news release. The added space is to allow the incubator to better accommodate current client companies and to house new companies that have been on a waiting list. This expansion brings the incubator to a total of 25,000 square feet and will accommodate an additional 15 companies, with individual offices ranging from 120 to 1,000 square feet.

“The TBI is an exceptional facility which has attracted entrepreneurial attention to our brand of specialized assistance available to startup technology companies,” said Andrew Duffell, president and CEO of the Research Park at FAU, in a news release. “Resident companies collaborate and find the resources they require to make their business a success. Whether in need of mentors, investors, community collaborators, and business services such as human resources or accounting, everything is under one roof and in close proximity to FAU research and faculty.”

The expansion will also feature a 4,000-square-foot, co-working center operated by Caffeine Spaces. The co-working environment will incorporate independent entrepreneurs, programmers and service providers for the startups to bond with and draw talent from, adding to the entrepreneurial culture, according to a news release.

The Technology Business Incubator is currently home to 23 early-stage technology companies. The Enterprise Development Corp. of South Florida in partnership with the Florida Atlantic Research & Development Authority founded the incubator in 1999.

Click here to learn more about technology incubators in South Florida and what they can offer entrepreneurs.

This expansion of space will permit an injection of brain power and innovation to the South Florida region which will undoubtedly benefit the local economy. Still rebounding from the real estate and financial crash, South Florida is expanding its portfolio of industries beyond just real estate and hospitality, and is now becoming a force to be reckoned with in the Biotech, and High-Tech arenas.