This is “Why Miami”

You may not have noticed but Miami has very quietly become one of the biggest technology & innovation hubs in the U.S. You probably already know that Miami-Fort Lauderdale area was recognized in 2017 by The Kauffman Foundation as the region with the #1 in startup activity in the nation. This top ranking has further supported Miami’s growing importance as one of the most entrepreneurial cities in the U.S, but we want to kick it up a notch. With the entry of new players like Venture City, Florida Venture Forum, Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC Miami) and Accelerated Growth Partners (AGP Miami- Angel Network), it’s no surprise that Forbes Magazine ranks Miami as one of top 5 cities poised to be the next Silicon Valley Tech Hub.

Every year thanks to eMerge Americas, Miami becomes the epicenter of the technology and innovation world, demonstrating the strength of our area’s ecosystem and global appeal.

So what’s next for Miami’s burgeoning startup culture?

New innovative companies and their support networks continue to choose Miami. These businesses are attracted to Miami’s startup mentality; dynamic entrepreneurial landscape; access to large domestic and international markets; business-friendly climate; and its financing availability from banks and non-traditional sources.

Miami-Dade County’s market statistics show that the average number of business establishments grew from 87,700 in 2011 to 96,981 in 2017, for a steady expansion of 10.5 percent. The number of payroll jobs (average employment) increased from 970,110 in 2011 to over 1.1 million during the same period, for an increase of 14.1 percent.

Job growth in the county’s seven target industries from 2012 to 2017 was estimated to be even higher, reaching 16 percent — or nearly 61,000 new jobs — according to Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI). This growth was led by the technology sector, which increased 32 percent during that 5-year span.

Miami’s startup support network also includes two R1 research universities, and a strong multi-sector economy that attracts entrepreneurs with big ideas. A few examples of local startup success include Freebee, founded by two young University of Miami business graduates, who started an eco-friendly, alternative transportation company in Miami-Dade in 2012. The company makes its money by wrapping each vehicle with advertisement s from companies like Pepsi, Goya, Macy’s or Bacardí.

Three entrepreneurs from the U.S. and Chile decided to base their travel company, Voyhoy, in Miami in 2015. Voyhoy provides travelers an affordable alternative to travel within Latin America by using alternative travel options such as buses, low-cost airlines, trains and ferries.

Cargo 42 is a startup based on an app that allows companies to ship their merchandise locally using empty space on commercial trucks. Clients save money on shipping, while trucking firms — which often run routes with empty space — gain extra revenue. The three co-founders first tested their concept in Boston and moved their operations to Miami in 2016, recognizing strong opportunities in the city’s large transportation and logistics businesses.

Miami is a city of “founders,” open to new ideas and always embracing change. No wonder Miami is the global community of the future where no one can recreate that demographic better than we can! We invite you to stop by our Miami-Dade Beacon Council booth during eMerge and discover “Why Miami” is the right place for your tech business.

Y bueno, al final el que sabe, sabe. And in the end, when you know you know.

Para leer mas sobre por que Miami es el lugar para tech business, please visit the Advantage Miami magazine: http://bit.ly/2qVM4xK

To learn more about the Miami-Dade Beacon Council: http://www.beaconcouncil.com/

Nos vemos en abril!  We’ll see you in April!