Aspiring pot companies had big dreams for Florida. Reality has hit hard. Florida is all about freewheeling fun in the sun — except when it comes to marijuana. And the state’s pot businesses are learning that the hard way. When the Florida agency responsible for approving medical marijuana licenses began accepting applications for 22 state licenses for selling and growing, applicants envisioned a market destined for adult recreational use, with heavy federal restrictions dialed back. But three years later, those dreams seem long gone. More from Politico. UM students get a boost to expand their businesses The third annual USTAAR Pitch Competition awarded $100,000 each to five promising student teams for their ingenious startup ideas and potential. Founded in 2024 with a generous donation from alumni Angel and Victor Alvarez, USTAAR has so far offered small-scale Ignite or Catalyst awards to nearly 70 student startups. These groups spend months working with USTAAR staff and local mentors to develop a prototype before the spring pitch competition. More from Refresh Miami. Winn-Dixie expands grocery delivery across Florida with Amazon partnership A major expansion between Amazon and Winn-Dixie is set to reshape how Floridians shop for groceries. Same-day delivery is now available to the majority of households across the state. The partnership, which launched in late 2025 in select markets, has rapidly scaled into nearly every major metro area in Florida, signaling strong demand for online grocery options tied to familiar local brands. More from the Florida Times-Union. New hangar at Punta Gorda Airport promises 200 new jobs Now in its final stage of construction, NAS MRO Services will soon open a large maintenance, repair and overhaul hangar at Punta Gorda Airport, bringing about 200 high-paying jobs to Charlotte County. Economic Development Director Kay Tracy told county commissioners during an April 14 update