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News, highlights and events throughout the Americas

Why Miami-Dade County Wants To Pay Startups To Solve Community Challenges

Finding solutions to challenges such as sea level rise, lack of affordable housing and health care access isn't easy — and Miami-Dade County knows it can't do it alone. Enter the Miami-Dade Innovation Authority. Created this year by the office of Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, the organization launched to support equitable and sustainable economic growth in the region's technology economy. To do that, the county is partnering with private and philanthropic partners to invest in startups focused on solving problems in areas that affect the daily lives of local residents. The initiative is backed by $9 million in seed funding pledged by the county, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and Citadel CEO Ken Griffin. Innovation Authority President Leigh-Ann Buchanan shares more about the initiative and opportunities for businesses. 

 

- South Florida Business Journal

Olé Life Wants To Make Buying Life Insurance For Latin Americans Easier

Life insurance isn’t something that young, healthy people typically consider buying. It also isn’t always that accessible to those with lower income or easy to buy: It can mean a medical exam and lots of questions to determine the type of coverage and amount needed.

That’s a big part of why Latin America has one of the lowest insurance penetration rates at 1.3%. In addition, 15% of Latin American adults who can afford life insurance policies have one, compared to 52% of U.S. adults. Miami-based Olé Life wants to change that. It joins others — for example, Equisoft, Turaco, and Acko — in bringing a digital-first approach to regions with low insurance penetration. Others like Mexico-based Minu are offering life insurance benefits via employers. The full-stack insurance carrier is targeting Latin America’s growing middle class that may have previously been unable to obtain financial protection.It provides life insurance through the web or a mobile app and has developed a digital underwriting methodology that doesn’t require a medical exam and can underwrite policies of up to $1 million, according to Olé Life co-founder and CEO Michael Carricarte, who has previously founded three other startups in the insurance space.

 

-Source: TechCrunch

ClimateTrade Has Already Offset More Than 5.5M Tons Of Carbon Emissions

Offsetting carbon emissions is one of the key strategies we can employ to mitigate the effects of climate change. Spanish startup ClimateTrade, which established its US headquarters in Miami last year, is developing tools to unlock decarbonization at scale. 

The company, which was founded in 2017, has built a blockchain-based marketplace for companies to offset their climate impact by purchasing carbon, plastic, and biodiversity offsets, as well as renewable energy certificates directly from project developers. Since 2019, the company reports that it has offset 5.5 million tons of carbon emissions. For context, the average American emits just over 14 tons of carbon dioxide each year. Its platform now has more than 3,000 registered users, but indirectly works with upwards of 13,500 people through its API. ClimateTrade’s long list of high-profile clients supports this claim, including household names such as Lavazza, Telefonica, and Cepsa. In many cases, ClimateTrade’s services can be described as B2B2C. For instance, it enables Santander customers to offset the CO2 from each of the purchases they make on their credit card.

 

-Source: Refresh Miami

Company That Develops Software For Cruise & Aviation Industries Raises $10M

Espace Networks, a Miramar company that makes software used by clients in the cruise and airline industries, raised $10 million in a series A round led by Columbia Capital.

The startup plans to use the capital to provide scale its enterprise connectivity services, which helps customers monitor fleets. Headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, Columbia Capital is a venture firm focused on investing in the digital infrastructure, enterprise technology and mobility sectors. The company reports it partnered with Fortune 500 clients in the aviation and cruise line sectors and completed multiple product launches over the past year. As part of the funding announcement Espace disclosed that Rupert Pearce, former CEO of Inmarsat, will join its board of directors in the chairman role. Inmarsat is a British telecommunications company and satellite service provider.

 

-Source: Miami Inno

IBM To Grant $5M To Schools To Boost Cybersecurity & AI Skills

In response to the growing threat of ransomware attacks against schools around the world, IBM announced it will provide in-kind grants valued at $5 million to help address cybersecurity resiliency in schools. Since its creation in 2021, the IBM Education Security Preparedness Grants program has expanded globally, and this year will also include enhanced offerings from IBM SkillsBuild on topics including AI and cybersecurity. Ransomware is unfolding faster than ever, with attackers managing to cut down the time required to deploy ransomware attacks from over two months to just under four days between 2019 and 2021, according to IBM’s X-Force Threat Intelligence Index 2023. In fact, the share of cybersecurity incidents observed in the education sector more than doubled in 2022 compared to the year prior, experiencing the largest increase year over year than any other industry.

 

-Source: South Florida Tech Hub

The #MiamiTech Happy Hour

June 7th|Natalia Martinez-Kalinina + Chris Adamo

 

This is a casual recurring happy hour for new and old Miamians interested in connecting with fellow entrepreneurs, investors, tech folks, and a diverse group of awesome people. Come grab a drink and catch up!

Starting + Building A Career In Tech

June 8th |BrainStation

 

Connect with UX design, product management, and digital marketing experts at GameStop and Pigmento, explore in-demand skills and common career paths, and network with other ambitious professionals.

PRIDE: A Diversity, Equity + Inclusion Series Event

June 14th |eMerge Americas

 

We're celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community and sharing the story of diversity in the Miami Tech Ecosystem! Join us as we merge with Chris Adamo & Natalia Martinez-Kalinina’s “Miami Tech Happy Hour” for a night of networking, music, light bites & drinks.

Women That Build Awards

Nominations Due June 6th | Globant

 

The Women that Build Awards of Globant are back! As the demand for STEAM jobs increases, we have a unique opportunity to create a more equitable industry. Join us in recognizing women who are making a difference and addressing persistent workplace challenges such as gender bias and unequal pay. Let's work together to build a brighter future for all. Nominate that woman in STEAM who inspires you.

Miami Immersion Week

July 24th - August 25th | Mana Tech

 

Be part of a select group of startups for our “Immersion Week” program. Leverage Miami's thriving startup community by maximizing connections with potential buyers and/or investors whilst acquiring US startup knowledge. You'll benefit from virtual learning, mentoring and an on-site immersion week in Miami to learn how to raise capital and sell in the US. Unlike other programs, apply your new skills in a real-world setting.

TEALS Volunteer Program

Recruiting Now | Microsoft Philanthropies TEALS Program  

 

TEALS is a Microsoft Philanthropies program looking for volunteer computer science professionals that wish to use their skills to inspire the coders and creators of tomorrow. Volunteering with TEALS helps to make a difference in our community and schools that stand to gain the most from computer science knowledge and expertise. Volunteers help TEALS provide high school students with equitable access to CS education and create a pathway to economic opportunity. 

Learning Engineering + Data (LEaD) Program

Rolling Applications | Millennium Management

 

Millennium is a large global alternative investment manager with a strong commitment to leveraging innovations in technology and data. As a member of our Miami based Learning Engineering and Data (LEaD) program, LEaD engineers can expect to get comprehensive training and work alongside technology mentors and leaders to develop and maintain applications and tools spanning front-office, middle-office and back-office functions in a dynamic and fast paced environment.

eMerge Americas  2222 Ponce de Leon Blvd  Miami  FL 

 

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