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Taking place from May 2-6, eMerge Americas Techweek attracted more than 6,000 attendees and more than 220 companies and 115 startups to the inaugural 5-day conference, which is scheduled to become an annual event to assist in strengthening Miami’s role as the “tech hub of the Americas.” The conference was organized by Manuel “Manny” Medina, Diane Sanchez and the rest of the Technology Foundation of the Americas’ team and was part of a larger effort led by local entrepreneurs, business and education leaders, and government officials to develop a creative and productive startup ecosystem.
The conference included a mayoral summit, smart city expo, startup village and launch competition, youth biz plan challenge, hackathon, hiring fair, and more than 60 panel discussions addressing topics related to finance, healthcare, education, media & entertainment, and sustainable cities. The event featured established tech companies and startups, colleges & universities showcasing their research projects. In addition, elementary and high school students presented their business plans and work in robotics. While the conference’s key focus was on businesses from Latin America and South Florida, there was official representation from Taiwan and Colombia. Colombia showcased nearly 30 different companies looking to export services related to technology, such as digital animation, mobile applications and other IT services. Taiwan also exhibited companies and new technology, including representatives from Tapei’s National Palace Museum which is using new and innovative technology to showcase exhibitions. Companies were also able to schedule appointments with other conference attendees to further business development and to locate potential partners through the conference’s online meeting application.
The Beacon Council participated in all aspects of the conference, from having a booth and participating on panels, to assisting various Fortune 100 companies in meeting with community leaders to attending ancillary events. Beacon Council staff members also held meetings with companies and startups to discuss how we can assist in their relocation or expansion plans in Miami-Dade County. Beacon Council President & CEO, Larry Williams, moderated a panel on Big Data & Analytics: The Ability to Change the Future with speakers Bernie Meyerson, Fellow & VP of Innovation at IBM and Emilio Diaz, Executive Vice President at INDRA.
The Beacon Council congratulates the eMerge Americas team and all of the leaders in the community that made this event a big success. We look forward to next year!
