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Small businesses often shy away from defense contracts. Miami’s new Rapid Innovation Accelerator is changing that. Learn how in our latest interview.
When most entrepreneurs think of government contracts, they picture red tape, slow approvals, and paperwork nightmares.
The Rapid Innovation Accelerator is here to help change that.
“Our job is to support emerging technology businesses to get access to federal contracting opportunities,” said Solomon Stavis, Director of the RIA in Miami.
The RIA-Miami is a Department of Defense-backed pilot initiative led by MoveAmerica, a national nonprofit that strengthens the defense industrial base. “We focus on emerging technology areas—AI, cybersecurity, advanced materials—and on dual-use companies that have both a private and public sector application.”
Based at The LAB Miami in Wynwood, RIA-Miami is on a mission to help small businesses and emerging tech startups access federal government opportunities.
Learn how they help and why they selected Miami as the pilot in our latest Opportunity Miami Interview.
RIA-Miami currently focuses on two federal programs – Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer. They also support companies pursuing a wide range of federal contracts.
First, they identify opportunities across defense and federal agencies. Then they provide proposal guidance, review, and feedback, and facilitate connections to government contacts as well as buyers and financial entities. They also refer these businesses to venture capitalists and private equity.
UNLOCKING FEDERAL DEFENSE DOLLARS
Through a combination of mentorship, technical support, and insider expertise, the RIA initiative is connecting Miami’s innovators to significant contracts and research funding.
“A lot of people just assume you have to be a large, well-established company to navigate the bureaucracy,” Stavis said. “But in reality, a lot of the federal contracts can be quite simple.
The impact is already being felt. Since launching one year ago, the accelerator has supported 17 small businesses on their first Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award. “Some of these are single-owner businesses—individuals who just wanted to give it a shot. It’s huge,” noted Stavis.
The companies range from artificial intelligence and cybersecurity startups to innovators developing low-cost drones and advanced materials. “Sometimes there are people that have a different way of thinking about the world and see it differently—and these are really interesting potential government opportunities,” Stavis said.
PARTNERS IN ACTION
The accelerator works closely with Lab22c, a Miami-based innovation hub led by Saif Ishoof and Caryn Lavernia, to root the program in the local tech ecosystem. “Lab22c is really our voice when it comes to Miami,” said Stavis. “They help us connect with the overall ecosystem. Getting into the world of emerging technology businesses is not an obvious place—it takes connectors like them.”
RIA-Miami is also working closely with the local universities through shared initiatives that connect researchers and student innovators to federal opportunities.
FROM THE WORLD OF STARTUPS TO MIAMI
Stavis grew up in California’s Bay Area and later worked in Washington, D.C. at the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation.
Although he’s been in Miami for less than a year, he says the area offers the perfect intersection of innovation and public purpose. “What makes me unique for this position is that I can understand both sides,” he noted. “I speak both languages—the incentives of the private sector and the bureaucracy of government.”
MIAMI’S IMPACT ON DEFENSE INNOVATION
The DoD has made clear that small businesses are vital to both the economy and national security.
“In 2024 alone, there were almost $5 billion in SBIR awards. The DoD really wants these companies to grow so they can feed into the overall defense industrial space,” Stavis noted.
Miami was chosen as the pilot initiative for its fast-growing tech ecosystem, strong connections to universities and local talent, proximity to SOUTHCOM and other major commands, and venture capital flowing at record levels.
This region is an ideal bridge between local innovation and national defense needs.
THE FUTURE OF DEFENSE IS MIAMI
The long-term goal is to grow a durable Miami-based ecosystem where startups, researchers, and small businesses can engage with and succeed in the federal marketplace.
“It’s not as overwhelming as you think,” he said. “The opportunities are there. You just have to take a deep breath—and reach out.”
With Miami evolving into a global innovation hub, Stavis sees a future where small businesses and national defense grow hand-in-hand.
As he put it: “And there’s no reason Miami shouldn’t be a leader.”
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