FEATURED CONTENT:
Where are they now? Revisit our aerial transportation features with Eve Air Mobility and Miami International Airport.Join us at our next event: Learn why investing in education can be our economic superpower on April 23rd with the Academic Leaders Council and The Helios Education Foundation. Register here.
Transportation in Miami-Dade County is a crucial issue, with significant challenges ranging from traffic congestion to pollution. However, there are also major opportunities to rethink how we move around the region.
That is why, at Opportunity Miami, we focus on what’s next in terms of how Miamians will move around.
Eve Air Mobility’s work with electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft is just one example of the kind of innovation that could reshape urban transportation. We featured them on our platform two years ago to learn about the eVTOL market and the blueprint for Miami-Dade that could revolutionize how we travel across the County. Listen to or watch that conversation here.
They are planning to start with electric commuter flights in the County in 2026. Eve has the industry’s largest order backlog (2,900 pre-orders/$14B in potential sales revenue) for its eVTOL aircraft, investments in its Urban Air Traffic Management software, and a comprehensive portfolio of services and operations solutions, the company said in a statement.
“Eve continues our involvement in the Miami-Dade County Urban Air Mobility Working Group and the City of Miami AAM Working Group that are working to prepare for eVTOL operations throughout the County,” the company added.
They are also working with the Florida Department of Transportation’s Advanced Air Mobility Advisory Committee so they can prepare for initial vertiports, including updates to land use and planning and zoning ordinances in partnership with local governments.
Miami-Dade County can continue to lead in aviation innovation, and not just in the sky.
The ongoing developments at Miami International Airport (MIA) are also a significant part of the region’s economic and innovative future.
Led by the Office of Innovation and Economic Development, three companies were selected as part of the second Public Innovation Challenge to prioritize customer service at Miami International Airport.
Some of that innovation is already taking shape at MIA, which is undergoing a $9 billion transformation with hundreds of projects underway to modernize and innovate the passenger and employee experience.
You can watch our On Site video feature from February with MIA’s CEO Ralph Cutié here.
Modernizing MIA
The goal of all these projects happening at MIA is to enhance all touchpoints of the passenger and employee experience, Cutié explained, so that by 2040, it will be a more efficient, innovative, smarter, and sustainable airport that offers the best experience.
“We are 100% all in when it comes to innovating the airport. And that's the way of the future,” Cutié told us.
Along with the projects touching on infrastructure, sustainability initiatives, and technological advances, MIA was recently granted a $330 million package to restructure its concessions model, increase investments, and set new industry-leading standards for retail and dining.
This modernization plan is expected to generate $1 billion in revenue over the next 12 years and will guarantee wages of at least $21.67 per hour.
All of these efforts underscore MIA’s role as the top economic engine for Miami-Dade County.
The Role of Talent
At Opportunity Miami, we believe that talent is the engine of transformation. That is why we are building pipelines between universities, companies, and communities and invite you to join us for a conversation on the economics of investing in education on April 23rd at Miami Dade College. The Helios Education Foundation will present its latest research at the event, and our Academic Leaders will share progress on the 2040 Talent Goals. Register here.
PITCH US
If you have a company or an entrepreneur to suggest or an idea to share that relates to building Miami’s future, email us at next@opportunity.miami. We invite you to subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on our social media channels. If you were forwarded this newsletter, you can subscribe by clicking here. And if you are new to Opportunity Miami, you can learn about our mission and work here.
~ Suzette Laboy