President Donald Trump’s signature $4.5 trillion tax and spending overhaul, branded the “One Big Beautiful Bill“, 870-page package promises sweeping tax breaks for American businesses while gutting major climate and clean energy programs, creating clear winners and losers across the startup landscape.
For South Florida’s tech founders, the bill brings both incentives and risks, reshaping the funding environment for AI, hardware, and fintech startups, while dealing a harsh blow to the region’s emerging climate resilience sector.
Winners: Startups, Investors, and U.S. Manufacturing
The bill’s business focused tax changes are a clear win for startups and early-stage investors:
Full Expensing for R&D and Equipment: Startups can immediately deduct the full cost of research, equipment, and software, boosting cash flow and lowering barriers to scaling.
Expanded Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) Tax Exclusion: Early investors and founders can exclude more of their capital gains from taxes when they sell qualifying startup equity, a longtime wish list item for the VC community.
Permanent Opportunity Zones: The bill locks in tax incentives for investment in designated low-income areas, including dozens across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, potentially spurring more tech and real estate startups.
Boost for Advanced Manufacturing: Tax credits for domestic production, including semiconductors and advanced materials, aim to attract hardware, AI, and biotech startups back to U.S. soil.
Losers: Climate Tech, EV Startups, and Green Energy
Trump’s bill also delivers on a campaign promise to dismantle the Biden era climate agenda:
Termination of EV, Solar, and Clean Energy Credits: Tax incentives for electric vehicles, residential solar, clean hydrogen, and other clean energy technologies are eliminated, raising costs for climate tech startups.
Cuts to Environmental Programs: Billions in funding for emissions reductions, low-carbon materials, and climate data collection have been rescinded, stifling the pipeline for sustainability focused startups.
For South Florida, a region on the front lines of sea-level rise and extreme weather, the rollback threatens a growing climate resilience tech sector.
The bill imposes new limits on graduate student loans and increases immigration related fees, changes that could shrink the talent pipeline for high-growth startups, particularly in technical fields like AI and biotech.
While some South Florida tech leaders applauded the bill’s pro-business tone, others warned that talent bottlenecks could undermine its intended economic boost.
The Bottom Line
Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” is unapologetically pro-business, pro-manufacturing, and anti-climate regulation.
For South Florida, the impact is mixed: fintech, AI, and hardtech founders see new tax advantages, while cleantech startups face steeper challenges.