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Why Miami

Miami: your first address in the Americas

One base. Three markets. A six‑hour time difference from Prague.1

From Miami, the US and Latin America are the same trip. The region's airport and seaports link the US mainland with the Caribbean, Central and South America, and more than half of Miami-Dade's residents were born outside the US.2 To test the Americas without opening three offices, start here.

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Prague

Miami

The Dancing House in Prague at dusk
The Dancing House, Prague
Downtown Miami across Biscayne Bay
Downtown Miami across Biscayne Bay

Czech Connect is based here. We help Czech and European companies decide whether Miami is the right first step, set up properly, and meet the people who matter.

01

A gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean

82%

of US air imports with Latin America and the Caribbean go through MIA7

Miami-Dade County describes itself as a key trade and transportation node between Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean.8

  • More flights to Latin America and the Caribbean than any other US airport, says Miami International (MIA).3
  • 82% of US air imports and 76% of air exports with Latin America and the Caribbean go through MIA, per the Beacon Council.7
  • Port Everglades, the 15th busiest US container port, runs 26 container services focused mainly on Caribbean and Latin American trade.9
  • Florida's top export markets in 2025 included Brazil, Mexico and Colombia, alongside Canada and Germany.10
  1. PragueCentral Europe
  2. MiamiNew York's time zone
  3. Latin America and the CaribbeanNext door

What this means for you: build your US business first, then add Latin American partners from the same office, in New York's time zone.1

02

Top-ranked logistics on your doorstep

No. 1

US airport for freight in 2025: Miami International3

South Florida logistics facilities and what their sources report
Facility What the source reports
Miami International Airport No. 1 in the US and No. 3 in the world for freight in 2025: nearly 3.5 million tons, up 13.6%, and 55.3 million passengers.3 35+ all-cargo carriers and an IATA Pharma Hub (2015).11
PortMiami 1,115,058 TEUs in fiscal 2025, the 11th year above one million; a record 8.56 million cruise passengers; $61 billion economic impact and 340,000+ jobs.12
Port Everglades Record 1,167,552 TEUs in fiscal 2025 (preliminary).13
Foreign-Trade Zone No. 281 Covers Miami-Dade; importers can reduce, defer or eliminate US duties on goods stored, assembled or re-exported.14

What this means for you: import, hold stock, assemble and re-export to Latin America, paying less duty and delivering faster.

Moving goods between Europe and the Americas? A free 20-minute call, in Czech or English, is enough to see whether Miami fits. Book a free 20-minute call

White and teal container cranes at PortMiami in daylight, with stacked containers on the quay
PortMiami
03

European companies already use Miami as their door to the Americas

  • Galderma (Switzerland) opened its US and Latin America headquarters in Brickell in 2026.15
  • FC Barcelona moved its Americas headquarters from New York to downtown Miami in 2025.16
  • MSC Group (Switzerland) opened a roughly $100 million North American cruise headquarters downtown in January 2026, with 400+ staff.17
04

One of the fastest-growing economies in the US

$1.83 trillion

Florida's nominal GDP in 2025, the fourth-largest of any US state18

  • Fourth-largest state economy after California, Texas and New York;18 as a country, the world's 13th-largest.19
  • No. 1 for startups: Florida led all states in 2025;19 Miami-Dade led US counties for small-business applications, nearly 4,900 per 100,000 residents.20
  • People keep arriving: 20.2 million to 23.5 million residents, 2015 to 2025;21 about 2.3 million more by 2035, 895 net a day in 2026.19
  • Record investment: 100+ companies worked with the Beacon Council in 2025, committing 3,070 new jobs and $1.2 billion.22
  • Record exports: $79.1 billion of goods in 2025; 94% of Florida's 50,095 exporters in 2024 were SMEs, with 56.3% of export value.10
05

A business climate that rewards setting up here

5.5%

Florida corporate income tax, with a $50,000 exemption5

  • No state personal income tax, written into Florida's constitution (Article VII, Section 5).4
  • Corporate income tax of 5.5% from January 1, 2022, with a $50,000 exemption.5
  • E-2 treaty-investor visa for Czech citizens, in force for the Czech Republic since January 1, 1993; E-2 only, not E-1.6

What this means for you: founders who relocate pay no Florida personal income tax (federal tax still applies); Czech Connect is not a law firm, so we introduce immigration and tax advisers for your case.

06

Industries where Czech strengths meet Miami demand

60+

international banks in Brickell, the largest US banking hub outside New York City23

The Miami-Dade Beacon Council, the county's economic development partnership, reports for its target industries:

  • Aviation and aerospace: 1,800+ companies and 88,500+ jobs,7 and a sector where Czech Connect has helped companies enter the US.
  • Finance and fintech: 60+ international banks in Brickell, the largest US banking hub outside New York City, and 500+ fintech companies.23
  • Technology: 2,500+ startups, six unicorns and $2.77 billion of venture capital in Miami-Fort Lauderdale in 2024.24
  • Life sciences and healthcare: 1,000+ companies and 100,000+ jobs.25
  • Trade and logistics, and creative industries complete the list.26
07

A workforce that already speaks your customers' languages

  • 75.3%

    of Miami-Dade residents aged 5+ speak a language other than English at home27

  • 54.5%

    of Miami-Dade residents were born outside the US27

  • 2.8 million residents (2024), 54% born outside the US, about two-thirds speaking Spanish at home.2
  • 75.3% speak a language other than English at home and 54.5% were born abroad (2020-2024, US Census Bureau).27
08

An international business community that is used to newcomers

100+

foreign consulates, trade offices and bi-national chambers in Miami-Dade28

  • 100+ foreign consulates, trade offices and bi-national chambers, including a Czech honorary consular post.28
  • SelectFlorida, the state's international commerce organization: export help, trade missions and foreign investment.29
  • The Miami-Dade Beacon Council: site selection, talent and incentives.23
  • World Trade Center Miami (1971): trade missions and shows such as Aerospace Defense Americas.30
09

Your Czech connection in Miami

  • Consular service (separate from Czech Connect): Vice Consul 2020 to 2026, Honorary Consul since May 2026.28

Talk it through with Jitka directly: a free 20-minute call, in Czech or English. Book a free 20-minute call

How Czech Connect helps

Most clients start with a free 20-minute call, then choose the pillar that fits: Access to the Market, Where the money moves or Local Representation, or all three. Jitka coordinates the lawyers, accountants and banks behind the scenes and stays involved herself. We keep the client base deliberately small and never name our clients.

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Questions we hear most

Is Miami only for companies targeting Latin America?

No. Build your US business first, in the same time zone as New York.1 Latin America and the Caribbean are next door when you are ready.

What taxes will I pay in Florida?

Florida has no state personal income tax.4 Corporate income tax is 5.5%, with a $50,000 exemption, according to the Florida Department of Revenue.5 We introduce you to a tax adviser for your specific case.

Can Czech citizens get a US investor visa?

Yes, the E-2 treaty investor visa. The treaty applies to the Czech Republic from January 1, 1993 and covers E-2 only, not E-1.6 We introduce the immigration lawyer and keep the process moving.

How far is Miami from Prague in time?

Six hours: Miami is on US Eastern Time and Prague on Central European Time. The gap is briefly five hours in March and October/November, when daylight-saving changes fall on different dates.1

Sources (30)
  1. Time zones: Miami uses US Eastern Time and Prague uses Central European Time; the usual gap is 6 hours, briefly 5 hours in March and October/November. https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html ↩
  2. Miami-Dade Beacon Council, Demographics: https://www.beaconcouncil.com/demographics/ ↩
  3. Miami International Airport news release, "Soaring cargo growth lifts MIA to #1 in the U.S., #3 in the world", May 4, 2026: https://news.miami-airport.com/soaring-cargo-growth-lifts-mia-to-1-in-the-us-3-in-the-world/ ↩
  4. Florida Constitution, Article VII, Section 5 (official text, The Florida Senate): https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Constitution ↩
  5. Florida Department of Revenue, Corporate Income Tax: https://floridarevenue.com/taxes/taxesfees/Pages/corporate.aspx ↩
  6. US Department of State, Treaty Countries table, checked September 26, 2026: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/fees/treaty.html ↩
  7. Miami-Dade Beacon Council, Aviation & Aerospace: https://www.beaconcouncil.com/aviation-aerospace/ ↩
  8. Miami-Dade County, Economic Data Snapshot, About Us: https://www.miamidade.gov/global/economy/innovation-and-economic-development/economic-metrics.page ↩
  9. Port Everglades, Cargo, checked September 26, 2026: https://www.porteverglades.net/cargo/ ↩
  10. Office of the US Trade Representative, Florida trade data: https://ustr.gov/countries-regions/united-states-trade-data/florida ↩
  11. Miami International Airport, Cargo Service Development: https://www.miami-airport.com/home-cargo.asp ↩
  12. Miami-Dade County news release, PortMiami FY2025 results, December 2, 2025: https://www.miamidade.gov/global/release.page?Mduid_release=rel1764622080449470 ↩
  13. Port Everglades, "Port Everglades Shatters Its Own Records", December 2025: https://www.porteverglades.net/articles/post/port-everglades-shatters-its-own-records/ ↩
  14. PortMiami, Foreign Trade Zone 281: https://www.miamidade.gov/portmiami/foreign-trade-zone.page ; service-area expansion to all of Miami-Dade: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/11/03/2023-24357/reorganization-of-foreign-trade-zone-281-expansion-of-service-area-under-alternative-site-framework ↩
  15. Galderma, "Galderma opens new U.S. and Latin America headquarters in Miami" (2026): https://www.galderma.com/news/galderma-opens-new-us-and-latin-america-headquarters-miami ; announcement, June 17, 2025: https://www.galderma.com/news/galderma-establishes-new-us-headquarters-miami-and-strengthens-regional-leadership ↩
  16. FC Barcelona, "FC Barcelona Opens New Office in Miami to Strengthen Its Presence Across the Americas": https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/club/news/4516807/fc-barcelona-opens-new-office-in-miami-to-strengthen-its-presence-across-the-americas ↩
  17. Florida YIMBY, "MSC Group Opens North American Cruise Division Headquarters at Block 55 at Sawyer's Walk", January 2026: https://floridayimby.com/2026/01/msc-group-opens-north-american-cruise-division-headquarters-at-block-55-at-sawyers-walk-in-downtown-miami.html ↩
  18. Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED), Gross Domestic Product: All Industry Total in Florida, series FLNGSP, updated April 9, 2026: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/FLNGSP ↩
  19. Florida TaxWatch, "Florida Economic Forecast 2026-2035: Q1 2026", June 11, 2026: https://floridataxwatch.org/florida-economic-forecast-2026-2035-q1-2026/ ↩
  20. Miami-Dade County, Office of the Mayor, "Miami-Dade ranked #1 in nation for small business growth", September 4, 2025: https://www.miamidade.gov/global/release.page?Mduid_release=rel1757012694136149 ↩
  21. FRED, Resident Population in Florida, series FLPOP: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/FLPOP ; 2025 state GDP, series CANGSP, TXNGSP, NYNGSP, FLNGSP: https://fred.stlouisfed.org ↩
  22. Miami-Dade Beacon Council, record $1.2 billion in new capital investment, January 29, 2026: https://www.beaconcouncil.com/media/beacon-news/2026/miami-dade-beacon-council-reports-record-breaking-1-2-billion-in-new-capital-investment-and-bold-growth-agenda-for-decade-ahead/ ↩
  23. Miami-Dade Beacon Council, Finance: https://www.beaconcouncil.com/finance/ ↩
  24. Miami-Dade Beacon Council, Technology: https://www.beaconcouncil.com/technology/ ↩
  25. Miami-Dade Beacon Council, Life Sciences & Healthcare: https://www.beaconcouncil.com/life-sciences-and-healthcare/ ↩
  26. Miami-Dade Beacon Council homepage, Target Industries, checked September 26, 2026: https://www.beaconcouncil.com/ ↩
  27. US Census Bureau QuickFacts, Miami-Dade County, checked September 26, 2026: https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/miamidadecountyflorida/POP815223 ↩
  28. Miami-Dade County, Consulates directory: https://www.miamidade.gov/global/government/international-trade/consulates.page ↩
  29. SelectFlorida, About: https://selectflorida.org/about/ ↩
  30. World Trade Center Miami: https://www.wtcmiami.org/ ↩

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The bottom line

Ready to look at Miami seriously?

Miami puts the US, Latin America and the Caribbean within one trip, in the same time zone as New York. Florida has no state personal income tax, and Czech owners can use the E-2 visa route. Czech Connect helps you decide whether it is the right first step.

Book a free 20-minute call