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Revisit two of our interviews focused on Miami’s emerging tech scene with Ted Lucas, now with The Source Miami, and Miami Dade College President Madeline Pumariega.
Miami has been experiencing a local tech boom for years now. Our colleges and universities, startups, and nonprofits are playing critical roles in helping to diversify Miami’s future tech workforce. This week, we revisit two Opportunity Miami features that touch on that future.
First with music and now with tech, Ted Lucas continues to focus on supporting Black and underrepresented talent across industries. The founder of Slip-N-Slide Records started the Innovation Center called TechNolij at Florida Memorial University’s campus in Miami Gardens, near where he grew up.
“Our goal is to demonstrate to underrepresented individuals in Black and Brown communities the vast opportunities available with the tech and innovation sectors, and empower them with the necessary training, resources, and mentorship to achieve success,” Lucas told us in March 2023 during an Opportunity Miami Interview you can watch here.
NEW TECH TALENT RESOURCES DOWNTOWN
Most recently, Lucas teamed up to launch The Source Miami, a tech center in downtown Miami that offers underrepresented entrepreneurs startup workshops and networking opportunities, among other resources.
Lucas also partnered again with Hilmon Sorey (a Silicon Valley entrepreneur) and Pegasus Tech Ventures to host the world’s largest startup conference and pitch competition with a prize of $1 million called the Startup World Cup. The Source Miami, Venture Miami, and Strive 305 will host a demo day later this month.
INNOVATION RECOGNITION
The nation’s first bachelor of science degree in applied artificial intelligence was launched in downtown Miami – at Miami Dade College’s AI Center. There are also two AI training hubs, which recently won college President Madeline Pumariega a spot on Forbes 50 Over 50: Innovation for being a “STEM superstar” and improving access to high-tech careers for low-income and first-generation students.
Pumariega is Chair of the Academic Leaders Council, a partnership between Opportunity Miami and the presidents of our region’s largest colleges and universities. The group is focused on training and preparing the region’s workforce for the future. As she told us in June: “Talent is today’s economic currency.” You can watch our interview with her here to learn more about how she sees Miami growing into a talent tech hub.
PITCH US
If you have a company or 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.
Hope to hear from you.
– Suzette
