South Florida Tech HubSouth Florida Tech Hub
23
Aug, 2023

By Adam Elitzur

Modern Trials and InterSystems Collaborate to Transform Clinical Trial Recruitment

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Modern Trials®, a startup aiming to transform clinical trial-patient matching, is now collaborating with leading healthcare technology provider InterSystems®.

Currently, clinical trial recruitment is accomplished by either relying on doctors to refer the patients they think will meet trial eligibility criteria or by patients responding to a trial advertisement. Neither of these methods are very effective, as there are over 50,000 active clinical trials that each have very specific eligibility criteria. The collaboration between Modern Trials and InterSystems aims to solve this issue.

 

The Birth of Modern Trials

Founded in 2019 by Dr. Christopher Ochner and Dr. Alexander Logsdon, Modern Trials aims to match patients with clinical trials that could potentially save their life by connecting patients in need of advanced treatment options through democratizing access to clinical trials.”

Dr. Logsden, a practicing clinician often experienced his patients desperately seeking, but unable to find, appropriate clinical trial opportunities. Dr. Ochner had been working in research administration, running clinical trials and noticed companies spending tons of money trying to promote these trials and desperate to find patients. The two parties were continuously missing each other.

Dr. Ochner had the unfortunate experience of his own mother, Mae, being diagnosed with stage IV cancer. After frantically searching for clinical trials that were both clinically relevant and immediately available, he continuously come up empty handed. Dr. Ochner had to find her a clinical trial fast and rightfully assumed it would be easy because he works in the field. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.

“I spent a month and I couldn’t get it done for my own mother,” Dr. Ochner told South Florida Tech Hub. “And that’s having been in the industry 20 years. I said to my Co-Founder Logsdon, “You were right, this system is broken and we need to fix it.”

That was the birth of the Miami-based Modern Trials.

Modern Trials sits at the intersection of health care and life science, partnering with healthcare organizations who have the patients in need of additional treatment options. They ingest the healthcare organization’s patient data and then make it searchable for their life science customers, clinical trial managers, in a private and secure manner.

 

How can InterSystems help?

InterSystems delivers high performance, cloud- first data platforms that solve data interoperability, speed, and scalability problems for large organizations globally through unifying disparate data into a single, complete view to enable better business outcomes. InterSystems’s IRIS for Health – Community Edition enables interoperability between EHRs and health applications, which enables utilization of data across distributed systems. This product arguably makes InterSystems the mac daddy of EHR data integration. What is EHR data integration you ask?

Modern Trials needs to search for patients who meet specific trial eligibility criteria (sometimes 50 or more) from EHR data. This data comes from many different healthcare organizations which means it comes in different formats and structures, and uses different standards, units, conventions and terms. However, for that data to be useful, it must be all made completely uniform. This monumental task is a major challenge when trying to utilize health records from different sources, particularly at scale with millions of records.

It’s incredibly complex and the reason that getting your medical records where and when you or your provider need them seems impossible. InterSystems IRIS for Health – Community Edition is built to do exactly this. Modern Trials will use it to ingest very large amounts of data from different sources (and therefore in disparate formats, structures, etc.) so that it winds up neatly and uniformly formatted on their database. This enables their customers to search that data and get accurate results. Ochner states; “For Modern Trials, this is key; it makes it possible to query this data so the right patients can be found and presented with potentially life-saving opportunities.”

InterSystems, a provider of next-generation data solutions that support mission-critical applications and drive digital transformation, has been the information engine powering some of the world’s most important applications in business, government and healthcare since the 1970’s. Some of their largest healthcare customers are Epic and the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Their products have received global industry recognition from Forrester, Gartner and KLAS Research and they have a 45-year history in the digital health sector working with the largest and most successful providers, payers, health networks, and health IT companies in the world. In fact, InterSystems is the world’s most popular data platform for healthcare, with more patient records managed on its technology than any other company. Of particular relevance to Modern Trials, InterSystems has an expansive network of EHR data and numerous healthcare organization clients that could benefit from clinical trial matching services.

The collaboration between Modern Trials and InterSystems aims to solve the previously insurmountable issue of bringing the right patients together with the right trial opportunities, largely facilitated by the EHR data integration enabled by InterSystems. “When we go through all the EHR data, we can pre-screen people without having to bother them,” Ochner explained. “This way we go directly to the individual and we already know that they’re very likely to meet criteria. About 96% of patients want to hear about it. They really appreciate having relevant opportunities brought right to them.”

The collaboration provides benefits for both companies. “InterSystems has a huge footprint in the healthcare space and a sizable but smaller footprint in the life science space,” Ochner stated. “Modern Trials sits right at the intersection of health care and life science and this collaboration illustrates the utility of InterSystems technology for life science customers. Their technology enables us to do what we do so this collaboration will also showcase how Modern Trials enables healthcare organizations to provide advanced treatment options to their patients. We are grateful for the opportunity to demonstrate to InterSystems the value in providing trial recruitment services to their clients through Modern Trials.”

An innovation like Modern Trials, paired with a trusted player in healthcare informatics like InterSystems, could revolutionize the trial recruitment process, potentially solving the most expensive pain point in the therapeutic approval process. This would increase access to new medications and medical devices for patients in need, and reduce the time and cost associated with bringing new therapeutics to market. Ultimately, Modern Trials and InterSystems hope to accomplish the mission of providing the opportunity for a better and longer life to every patient in need.

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23
Aug, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

City of Ft. Lauderdale CIO Tamecka McKay named Top Ten City CIO 2023

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Government CIO Outlook, announced their Top 10 City CIOs of 2023 and a South Florida CIO made the list!

As part of their civic outreach efforts, Govt CIO Outlook, recognizes the technology leaders across the country in their annual prestigious listing of the Top Ten City Govt CIOs who have played an important role in understanding and implementing both technological and operational processes seamlessly within their cities.

Government CIO Outlook is a technology magazine which reaches out to subscribers across globe It is the go-to resource for senior-level government officials and decision makers to learn and share their experiences with products/services, technologies and government technology trends.

The Top 10 City Govt CIOs of 2023 are:

  • Bill Zielinski | City of Dallas, TX
  • Craig Poley | City of Arvada, CO
  • Jason Sankey | City of Atlanta, GA
  • Justin Fair | City of Goodyear, AZ
  • Kevin Gray | City of Burbank, CA
  • Sabra Schneider | City of Bellevue, WA
  • Tamecka McKay | City of Ft. Lauderdale, FL
  • Tony Batalla | City of Oakland, CA
  • Travis Cutright | City of Mesa, AZ
  • Tyson Morris | City of Chattanooga, TN

Tamecka McKay, Chief Information Officer for the City of Ft. Lauderdale, the largest city in Broward County, oversees the City’s entire Technology Infrastructure and Services. The City of Ft. Lauderdale is currently investing over $1 Billion to enhance and maintain their infrastructure network!

The City has launched “LauderWorks” which is an online service that tracks ongoing projects throughout the City which can be filtered by neighborhood, commission district or even the type of project. This allows City residents and interested parties to get details on what the project includes, how much money is being invested and the phase of the overall project. It’s all part of the City’s commitment to transparency in public service.

Her responsibilities include cloud, and on-premise Data Centers, Network, Storage, Systems, Telephony, Mail and Print shop, Audio/Visual, ERP, GIS, Business Applications, Service Desk and Desktop Support services, Mobile technology (tablets, iPad, cell phones) as well as Public Safety technologies including Automatic Vehicle Locaters (AVL), License Plate Readers (LPR), Body Worn Camera technology, Security Surveillance and mission-critical Radio Communications networks for emergency responders and external local government departments.

As an industry certified IT professional, Tamecka has over 23 years of experience. She holds a master’s degree in Public Administration, a bachelor’s degree in Technology Management, and dual associate degrees in Psychology and Computer Information Systems (with honors). As a life-long learner, Tamecka is also currently pursuing her PhD in Public Policy at Florida International University.

Learn more about the City of Ft. Lauderdale here. 

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22
Aug, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

FPL’s Classroom Makeover Grant Program helps underserved classroom access STEM education across Florida

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Florida Power & Light‘s Classroom Makeover Grant Program has transformed another five classroom across the state of Florida. 

As part of a $1 million, 4-year commitment from its charitable arm, the NextEra Energy Foundation, works to advance STEM curriculum, increase the exposure of Black students to STEM education and jumpstart students’ interest in STEM careers. Each year through 2024, five schools are selected in FPL’s service area to receive the $50,000 grant.

The grants are intended to provide transformational learning opportunities for Black students in classroom settings, as all recipient schools are comprised of at least 25% Black students. The Classroom Makeover Grant program and funds are available to directly addresses needs in infrastructure, technology or resources (i.e., software, equipment, books, training of teachers, tutors, paraprofessionals).

“Our STEM Classroom Makeover Grant allows us to invest in our next generation to help provide transformational learning opportunities for Black students in a STEM classroom setting,” said Pamela Rauch, Vice President of External Affairs & Economic Development for FPL, in a previous interview.

“We are excited that these projects will be one of the first, as we complete our inaugural year of implementing this grant, which allows us to support both educators and students, our next generation of leaders.”

Congratulations to this year’s 2022-2023 winning classrooms in Florida:

FPL’s five classroom makeover grant recipients in Florida for the 2022 inaugural year were:

Cypress Run Education Center School, an alternative school in Broward County, invested in a multimedia technology lab, web design programs, TV production arrangements, coding software, robotics education and Microsoft certifications. South Florida Tech Hub had the honor of being invited to their most recent student Hackathon hosted by STEM teacher, Ms. Osas Guis-Obaseki and Principal Harrigan.

Ms. Osas has spearheaded a STEM Club that meets biweekly to expose students to programming and the computer science field. She has given students the opportunity to to build computers, learn coding and programming, and gain skills using digital tools. Ms. O hosts quarterly Hackathons where students demonstrate their coding skills and compete with other students.

Under her leadership, students have complete the Microsoft certifications in HTML and CSS Programming, Website Design, and MS Office. She has also been able to collaborate with additional industry partners such as CloudHesive, Oracle, ReGenerate Tech, and many more.

Ms. Osas got in touch with South Florida Tech Hub in 2022 as a volunteer at the annual TECHpalooza in Broward County where she also brought students to educate them on the importance of networking, giving back and getting exposure to tech professionals in South Florida.

Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary School in Riviera Beach was also one of five schools in Florida to be awarded a Classroom Makeover Grant from FPL last year to advance STEM curriculum, increase the exposure of Black students to STEM education and jumpstart students’ interest in STEM careers. The $50,000 grant that the school received supported a variety of professional education resources, including computers, robot lab packs, aerodynamics sets, and renewable energy education kits. See the full WPTV update here.

“As a Title 1 school with a 98% Black population, we are committed to providing children of color with vast learning opportunities and exposure to STEM education and careers,” Katrina W. Granger, the principal at Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary School, said.

“We are so appreciative of FPL’s commitment to diversity in STEM, which has made the vision of hardworking and inspiring STEM educator with big dreams, Tracy Howard, come to fruition. This grant will support both Mrs. Howard and her scholars achieve their greatest dream.”

This grant is open to all public, private and charter schools and all grade levels in FPL’s service area in Florida. Grants are also available to schools in areas served by FPL’s sister company NextEra Energy Resources. As with all foundation grants, no customer dollars are involved.

Schools can apply now for the next grant cycle. Applications are now open and will close October 15, 2023! 

  Read more

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22
Aug, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

Boca Raton-based GRUBBRR partners with national firm on gas station ordering tech

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Today, GRUBBRR, a global self-ordering solutions and POS systems provider, announced a new partnership with Dover Fueling Solutions (“DFS”) allowing customers to purchase much more than just gas at the pump.

The Boca Raton-based GRUBBRR is a cutting-edge provider of self-ordering solutions and POS systems provider at the forefront of self-ordering technologies. GRUBBRR’s award-winning eco-system, including kiosks, mobile ordering, POS, online ordering, KDS, contactless smart lockers, and more, are proven to help businesses maximize revenue, decrease labor costs, and solutions are adaptable and beneficial to a multitude of businesses, and power both enterprise-level and small and medium businesses across verticals such as quick-service restaurants, fast casual restaurants, petro / convenience stores, stadiums, movie theaters, casinos, micro-markets, retail and more.

Dover Fueling Solutions (“DFS”), a part of Dover (NYSE: DOV), is a leading global provider of advanced customer-focused technologies, services and solutions in the fuel and convenience retail industries with annual revenue of over $8 billion. The company delivers innovative equipment and components, consumable supplies, aftermarket parts, software and digital solutions, and support services through five operating segments: Engineered Products, Clean Energy & Fueling, Imaging & Identification, Pumps & Process Solutions and Climate & Sustainability Technologies. Based in Illinois the company has been in business for over 65 years with a team of over 25,000 employees collaborating with customers to redefine what’s possible.

The partners will launch a self-ordering solution, DX Market™ powered by GRUBBRR, within the DFS Anthem UX™ platform on the Wayne Ovation® fuel dispenser.

“To maximize profitability, merchants need to reduce friction in the checkout process and engage consumers in new and innovative ways,” said Sam Zietz, CEO of GRUBBRR. “Our software is designed to streamline the ordering process and provide a seamless customer experience, creating a one-stop-shop solution that empowers retailers to grow revenue through improved consumer retention and increased basket size.”

DFS’s collaboration with GRUBBRR will generate increased revenue for fuel retailers by providing them the opportunity to offer customers the convenience of ordering food and shopping for products while pumping gas. DX Market powered by GRUBBRR will also enable retailers to offer customizable promotions and upsell opportunities with video and static content. This cutting-edge experience delivers on the transgenerational consumer expectation that fueling stations are becoming increasingly automated and featuring more self-checkout options.

“DFS Anthem UX is a powerful tool for retailers to drive foot traffic into their stores and increase sales for promoted items,” said Kurt Dillen, VP Global Business Development at DFS. “Integrating GRUBBRR’s self-ordering technology into DFS’s Anthem UX platform, DX Market will enable customers to make purchases before stepping into the store, allowing for a quicker, more streamlined experience and increased satisfaction. With many gas station owners making a majority of their money in retail, we expect a meaningful impact on revenues.”

“As a customer-centric company, DFS seeks to enhance the fueling experience and provide value-added solutions,” said Kendra Keller, Vice President and General Manager, North America at DFS. “The integration of GRUBBRR’s self-ordering software into the Anthem UX reinforces our commitment to providing our customers with the best overall experience while at the pump. The self-ordering solution also simplifies the order fulfillment process for store operators, improving operational efficiency for the benefit of not only the consumer, but the retailer as well.”

“Consumers expect frictionless shopping experiences, both online and in-store,” said Farshad Tafazzoli, Chief Strategy Officer at GRUBBRR. “We’re honored to be selected by DFS as their self-ordering solution to enhance consumer convenience. As gas stations and convenience stores make this digital transition, GRUBBRR is proud to optimize the customer journey.”

DX Market powered by GRUBBRR is set to roll out initially in select fuel stations across the United States, with plans for global expansion in the future.

 

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22
Aug, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

Finalists Announced for the 13th Annual GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch

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GrowFL just announced the Finalists for the 13th Annual Florida Companies to Watch Awards and nine South Florida and Treasure Coast companies made the list!

A prestigious recognition program celebrating high-performing second-stage companies that demonstrate innovative business strategies and excellent potential for future growth, the 13th Annual GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch is brought to you by Duke Energy and Nperspective CFO & Strategic Services, in association with the Edward Lowe Foundation.

Companies to Watch is a unique way to acknowledge the remarkable achievements of second-stage companies that contribute significantly to the state’s economic vitality. These companies have successfully navigated through challenges and exhibited outstanding entrepreneurial leadership and innovation, creating a positive impact on their communities and industries. Since 2011, GrowFL has recognized 600 companies with this prestigious award. Many of the past honorees have now grown their companies to stage 3 and stage 4 businesses employing more than 500.

More than 150,000 high-growth second stage companies headquartered in Florida represent nearly 4 Million jobs. That’s almost 30% of the jobs from less than 5% of the state. Second stage companies are no longer worried about failing, but focused on growth and job creation bringing real economic impact to their geographic regions.

To qualify for the award, companies must have between 6 and 150 employees and revenue between $750,000 and $100 million in 2022. The finalists were selected from more than 550 nominations from throughout Florida and represent a diverse group of growing companies representing a variety of industries. Together, they reported a total of more than 2,770 jobs and generated close to $813 million in revenue in 2022. These companies anticipate growth of 29 percent in revenue and 21 percent in employment by the end of 2023.

“The companies selected as Finalists are a testament to the resilience and creativity of Florida’s entrepreneurs. They are thriving in an ever-changing business landscape, and their accomplishments inspire others to strive for excellence,” said Jennifer Taylor, president and CEO of GrowFL.

“Each finalist has demonstrated outstanding growth and innovation, positioning them as leaders within their industries. We are honored, year after year, to celebrate the outstanding success of the entrepreneurs in our state.”

One of the second-stage company Finalists in the running is Streann Media, a content-creation and streaming company, disrupting the content landscape. The company has built the most complete OTT platform in the world with a powerful Content Management System, Content App Editor and 150 tools to distribute, engage and monetize live and on demand content. Streann’s innovations include proprietary integration with Artificial Intelligence and Patent Technologies for Monetization. The Miami-based company has won multiple industry awards, has millions of active users and has been deployed in 141 countries.

Founder and CEO of Streann Media, Gio Punzo, told South Florida Tech Hub, “We are thrilled to be selected as a Finalist for the GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch Awards. This reconfirms the dedication and expertise of our talented team who consistently strive to provide innovative solutions and exceptional service to our clients.”

He continued, “We are delighted to be a part of Florida’s thriving business community and look forward to continuing our growth trajectory. We have grown to 70 million unique viewers in 141 countries around the world thanks to our breakthrough technology made in Florida.”

Finalists undergo a second round of judging before the top 50 companies are selected and emerge as Honorees. Honorees will be announced in early October and will be recognized at the awards ceremony on Thursday, February 15, 2024, at the Hard Rock Live, Universal CityWalk in Orlando, Florida. Tickets will go on sale in September.

GrowFL is driven by one goal – to cultivate second-stage growth companies across the state. Second-stage companies are the backbone of Florida’s economy and the definition of economic success and prosperity. Through our diverse programs and services, GrowFL provides proven methods to help overcome unique challenges facing second-stage companies as they grow.

Congratulations to the 12th Annual GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch Finalists from South Florida & Treasure Coast:

  • Flexxbuy (St. Lucie)
  • HelixVM (Palm Beach)
  • Hollywood Woodwork, Inc. (Broward)
  • Loupe Tech, Inc (Miami-Dade)
  • Pointer Construction Group LLC. (Broward)
  • PUR-FORM (Palm Beach)
  • Spot Pet Insurance, LLC. (Miami-Dade)
  • Streann Media (Miami-Dade)
  • Weedoo Greenboat, Inc. (Palm Beach)

To view the full list of Finalists, click here.

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22
Aug, 2023

By Adam Elitzur

Carrier strengthens sustainability commitments in 2023 ESG report

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Carrier Global Corporation, a leading provider of heating, air conditioning and refrigeration solutions, headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, recently released its 2023 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report detailing the company’s sustainability strategy and latest initiatives. 

The report outlines Carrier’s commitment to setting near and long-term emission reduction targets, including a goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across its value chain by 2050. Since 2020, Carrier’s efficient products have enabled customers to avoid over 212 million metric tons of GHG emissions. The company is also targeting a reduction of its customers’ carbon footprint by more than 1 gigaton and carbon-neutral operations by 2030.

In the report, David Gitlin, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, stated “Our planet is at a critical juncture. Climate change is causing irreparable damage to the environment, and the need to transition to renewable energy has never been greater. At Carrier, the purposeful transformation of our portfolio will create a true global climate champion that leverages innovative technology to make a meaningful impact on the world for generations to come.”

“I am proud of the progress we are making. Looking ahead, we strive to be a catalyst for positive and sustainable change as we innovate, empower our people and operate with integrity. As a world leader in intelligent climate and energy solutions, Carrier is proud to have a deeply positive impact on people and our planet.”

On environmental metrics, Carrier reduced its energy consumption by 25% and water withdrawal by 11% compared to 2021 levels. The company purchased 134,000 MWh of renewable energy credits for its North American electricity use and implemented energy efficiency projects at its facilities worldwide. One such project, led by NORESCO, a part of Carrier, is in use in Fullerton, California, reducing the city’s carbon footprint and enabling critical infrastructure upgrades. To date, NORESCO has guaranteed more than $5 billion in energy and operating cost savings at more than 10,000 facilities while reducing customer carbon dioxide emissions by more than 25 million metric tons – the equivalent of planting 1.4 million acres of forest.

Additionally, Carrier is driving progress on social initiatives like inclusion, diversity and community engagement. In 2022, the company increased its spending with diverse suppliers to $312 million, expanded Employee Resource Groups globally and continued partnerships with historically Black colleges and universities. Carrier contributed over $9.7 million to community organizations worldwide. 

Looking ahead, Carrier plans to continue implementing emissions reduction initiatives across its operations, including more on-site renewable energy projects, fleet electrification efforts, and refrigerant emission reduction programs. As Carrier evolves its portfolio towards climate-friendly solutions, its 2023 ESG Report highlights the importance of sustainability and social responsibility to the company’s overall vision and growth strategy. Carrier aims to lead its industry’s transition to a net-zero future.

View Carrier’s full 2023 ESG Report here. 

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15
Aug, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

Tech Hub Announces 2023 Golden Palm Award Honorees

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For the first time, the Golden Palm Gala & Awards, hosted by the South Florida Tech Hub, brought together a convergence of leaders, technologists, and organizations from across the region, all gathered to celebrate exceptional achievements and to acknowledge their collective impact on our vibrant tech ecosystem.T he event unfolded on August 3rd at the iconic Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in downtown West Palm Beach. It was an evening that marked a significant milestone in the South Florida technology landscape.

With the event’s presenting sponsor, 35 Mules, an Innovation Hub powered by Florida Power & Light, the evening held the promise of honoring the remarkable talent that South Florida nurtures within its technology community. Tech Hub received almost nominations in its first year which is a testament to the innovation and dedication that define this thriving tech hub. Each nomination was a story of determination, creativity, and a commitment to pushing the boundaries of possibility.

As the doors of the Kravis Center opened with a VIP reception with passed hors devours and open bar, a palpable sense of excitement filled the air. The attendees, representing a diverse spectrum of expertise and backgrounds, were met with an elegant ambiance that set the stage for an evening of recognition, connection, and inspiration. The atmosphere was charged with enthusiasm, as conversations flowed and new connections were forged.

Special guest Miss Florida 2023, Juliette Valle, made her way around the room interviewing attendees and honorees for the well-known #minimicminute segments usually held by Tech Hub’s own Nadia Volkova. The guests were also captured by Miss Valle’s opera serenade as she welcomed guests into the main dining hall.

The core essence of the evening was to acknowledge the transformative contributions of individuals, companies, and organizations that have played pivotal roles in shaping the South Florida tech landscape. CEOs who have steered companies to unprecedented heights, startup founders who have dared to dream differently, and community leaders who have tirelessly advocated for progress were all in the spotlight.

The emcee and our Mistress of Ceremonies was Founder and CEO of Entreprenista, Stephanie Cartin. She guided us through an evening that will remain etched in the memories of those who attended, not just as an evening of recognition, but as a testament to what can be achieved when visionaries, leaders, and technologists unite. As the lights dimmed and the attendees dispersed, the echoes of inspiration continued to reverberate, a reminder that the journey of the South Florida tech community is one of limitless possibilities.

 

Golden Palm Award Honorees:

  • Collaboration of The Year | Owwll, Premier Virtual, TEDxBocaRaton, and FAU Adams Center Entrepreneurship – For their achievements and efforts to provide free valuable mentors and experts to the those in the field, and those new to it, to veterans and students, and to the ever-expanding tech community.
  • Social Responsibility | Virtual Intelligence Briefing (ViB) – Woven throughout the fabric of the organization are the core values of humanitarian, economic and philanthropic servant leadership. “Service over Self” is not just a TedTalk for this outstanding organization, but a mantra relected in the staff, the Board of Directors, volunteers, and all who support them. This honoree is a shining example who inspires to provide technology and talent to those in need.
  • Innovator of The Year | BiFarm Tech – For their efforts to not only increase crop yields in state where Agriculture is a significant factor in our economy but they did so while reducing the environmental footprint AND adapted their technology for small indoor and home-based farms.
  • Community Connector | Venture Mentoring Team (VMT) – For their tremendous efforts to develop and connect mentors and startup entrepreneurs to provide in-valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities of the startup world.
  • Inclusion Champion | Urban League Palm Beach County – This Honoree works to prepare young adults who are unemployed and underemployed for career-readiness to address socio-economic challenges and advocate for diversity in the tech sector to create a more equitable and inclusive environment for all.
  • EdTech Excellence | Code/Art – This Honoree Code Art has worked with 8,000 girls, trained 400 teachers, impacted 23 states, and can boast that 87% of their clients are motivated to continue coding in the future.
  • Leadership Excellence | Saif Ishoof, Founder, Lab22C – A true visionary, leading by example, and encouraging those around him to take the work seriously but never to take themselves too seriously, he injects a sense of joy into every conversation. Known as “Miami’s Connector-in-Chief”, he has had a significant impact on entrepreneurs and founders across the region by making meaningful connections, providing sound advice, and being a trusted ear or shoulder.

A special award, the Ethos Award, was given at the close of the ceremony. This award was not a category open for nomination, but one that Tech Hub CEO Nikki Cabus felt was a hugely important one. The award was presented to the entire Florida Power & Light team there that night from senior execuitives to entry-level developers. They all make up the FPL fabric we all know.

“In todays world every company has the opportunity to be an innovator, to be a sustainability leader, to provide opportunity, and to put the larger community first. Few succeed at demonstrating each of these pillars, and even fewer at all four,” stated Cabus.

“Supporting 2000+ nonprofits, $3.8 Million donated by employees, 46,000+ hours by employees, 180+ nonprofit boards served by employees, awarding 5 makeover grants of $50,000 each to schools in our area, educating and protecting our natural resources, embracing future generations, delivering books to improve reading levels, developing curriculum for STEM, implementing Communications, and Leadership Development, working to lower costs to our nonprofit sector, and serving alongside our neighbors to make South Florida an even better place to live, work, and raise a family. I’m honored to present the Ethos Award to Florida Power & Light.”

The evening closed with robots, music and dancing with Digital Vibez. It was the perfect close to a perfect evening. Thank you to all our speakers, sponsors, media partners, production partners, The Kravis Center of Performing Arts, our event Chair, Cathy Miron, event organizing committee, Tech Hub Board of Directors, and a HUGE congratulations to all the nominees and honorees of the evening!

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14
Aug, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

Endear Health announces $8M in new funding and additional strategic partners

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Endear Health announced it has successfully closed an $8M funding round from new and current investors including Optum Ventures, Blue Cross of Idaho, 8VC and additional strategic partners.

The funds will be used to accelerate the development and expansion of Endear Health’s proprietary platform, which improves the way value-based care organizations deliver digital experiences to their members.

Endear Health is the first digital engagement platform built for the rapidly evolving value-based landscape and on a mission to fundamentally improve the Medicare experience. Founded in 2021 and backed by Optum Ventures, 8VC and additional strategic partners, Endear Health is focused on reducing the hurdles older adults face while navigating an increasingly digital world through development of innovative consumer-centric engagement solutions. The company believes that seniors who are accustomed to receiving assistance and care across nearly all facets of their daily lives should receive that same high level of support when it comes to how they access healthcare.

According to recent studies, 61% of adults aged 65 and older own a smartphone, and 73% of them use the internet daily1. Endear Health recognizes the untapped potential of technology in improving the lives of older adults and aims to bridge the digital divide by offering user-friendly solutions that cater to their unique needs.

With Endear Health, organizations can offer members a personalized and intuitive digital platform, purposefully designed for seniors, which integrates educational resources, core benefits, and supplemental benefits into a single location. Additionally, through a marketplace of scalable integrations with third-party digital health vendors, Endear Health empowers payors to quickly deploy innovative programs in an efficient manner ultimately resulting in better member satisfaction and improved overall health outcomes.

“Blue Cross of Idaho remains at the forefront of closing gaps in care for Idahoans, and we are constantly seeking innovative, frictionless ways to improve the health and wellness of our members. We are excited to invest in Endear Health’s member-centric, digital solutions that connect seniors with plan benefits, programs, and even reminders for a check-up or screening.” Drew Hobby, Chief Revenue Officer for Blue Cross of Idaho.

The latest funding round represents a significant milestone for Endear Health, reflecting the growing recognition of the company’s promising impact on the healthcare industry, particularly for older adults. With the new capital injection, Endear Health is well-positioned to scale its operations, expand its team, and continue innovating its platform to meet the evolving needs of Medicare Advantage plans and risk-bearing entities nationwide.

“Everyone deserves access to the highest levels of healthcare and support, and at Endear Health, we’re dedicated to making that a reality. Enormously grateful to our exceptional team, advisors, investors and early partners for all their support. More to come!,” wrote Co-Founder & COO, Michael Chappelear, in a recent social media post.
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14
Aug, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

Revere Payments is moving its headquarters from Las Vegas to Palm Beach Gardens creating 100 jobs

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Revere Payments just announced that the company will be relocating its headquarters from Las Vegas, Nevada to Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

In collaboration with the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County (BDB), Revere made an exciting announcement stating that this move will result in the creation of 100 new job opportunities within the next three years.

Revere Payments is currently in a temporary location at Venture X Palm Beach Gardens, but planning to settle into a state-of-the-art 3,800 sq. ft. build-to-suit facility, scheduled for completion in November 2023. Their new location was the former headquarters of the PGA Tour at 100 Avenue of Champions. This relocation represents a significant multi-million-dollar capital investment for Palm Beach County.

Revere Payments is a Christian fintech company that offers a wide range of payment technology solutions for businesses in a variety of industries, including e-commerce, retail, restaurant, firearms, religious, political, CBD, and non-profit. The company uses the same innovative technology as its parent company, Metrics Global, to bring seamless, secure online payments to any industry. Revere is recruiting payments industry professionals. Revere specializes in secure payment processing, handling credit, debit, and bank-to-bank transactions.

During the process of relocating, Revere Payments collaborated with the Business Development Board (BDB) to establish connections with CareerSource Palm Beach County, as well as local colleges and universities. The BDB will continue to provide support to Revere Payments as it approaches the planned move-in date in the fourth quarter.

“Revere Payments protects our clients’ freedom to do business while providing them with best in class payment solutions and white glove service. It makes perfect sense that we would make our home in the beautiful, thriving Palm Beaches area,” said founder and CEO Wendy Kinney. “We feel so blessed by the warm welcome we have received so far and look forward to growing Revere Payments here and contributing to this wonderful community.”

“The City of Palm Beach Gardens is happy to welcome the corporate headquarters of Revere Payments as the newest addition to this area’s business hub. The company will provide new jobs for local residents and will continue to create a positive impact as it grows,” said Mayor Chelsea Reed, City of Palm Beach Gardens.

Kelly Smallridge, the President and CEO of the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County (BDB), expressed her enthusiasm for Revere Payments’ decision to relocate to the City of Palm Beach Gardens. She deemed it an outstanding choice and anticipates a promising future with numerous opportunities for the county. Given the presence of more than 500 corporate headquarters in Palm Beach County, Revere Payments is expected to flourish within the fintech sector.

The Business Development Board of Palm Beach County is the official public/private economic development organization for Palm Beach County and Enterprise Florida. Founded in 1982 as a not-for-profit corporation, our primary purpose is to attract and retain new industry, business investment, high quality jobs and workforce development through corporate relocations, expansions and international trade. During the past five years, the BDB has assisted more than 140 companies that have created or retained more than 13,110 direct jobs with average salaries greater than $80,000, resulting in more than $1.12 billion in capital investment to Palm Beach County.

To learn more about Rever Payments, visit https://reverepayments.com/

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14
Aug, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

Verizon turbo charges its 5G network with the addition of more spectrum

Read Time 4 Minutes

Today, Verizon announced that it now has access to the total amount of 5G C-band spectrum awarded at auction in March 2021 – four months ahead of schedule.

This allows Verizon to more quickly expand and enhance its 5G Ultra Wideband network nationwide, more than doubling and, in some markets, tripling the 5G bandwidth available to serve customers. This will provide much greater capacity to accommodate more customers and more robust services, as well as enable higher data speeds. This additional spectrum will also allow Verizon to offer 5G Home broadband and Business Internet services to more customers.

“Early access to the remainder of the C-band spectrum puts us another four months ahead of schedule from our original projections. This additional spectrum will make 5G Ultra Wideband available to even more Americans, and will open up more availability of our home and business broadband solutions,” said Joe Russo, EVP & President of Global Networks and Technology for Verizon. “The more spectrum we deploy on our network, the more capacity we add for our customer’s to connect.”

Since Verizon began deploying 5G service using C-band spectrum, the lightning fast 5G service has been made available to more than 222 million people in 359 markets* and more than 40 million households have access to Verizon’s Home Internet with 384,000 new customers subscribing to Verizon’s Fixed Wireless Access based home internet products (both LTE and 5G) in the second quarter of this year alone, bringing total FWA customers to 2.3 million.

Verizon’s C-band holdings

Verizon won C-Band licenses for between 140-200 MHz in all available markets, and began deploying 60 MHz in the first 46 areas in 2022. As the additional spectrum has been cleared by satellite companies outside of the first 46 areas, Verizon has been able to deploy 5G Ultra Wideband using a portion of its licensed bandwidth in many more markets coast to coast.

Now, with final clearance from the satellite incumbents, Verizon will be able to use the entirety of its licensed C-band spectrum, an average of 161 MHz coast to coast with some markets accessing a full 200 MHz. Verizon has been deploying equipment that is capable of the full 200MHz of bandwidth, so with a mere software update, customers will start to see the effects of this dramatic increase in bandwidth in the immediate next few days and weeks.

Specifically, Verizon now has access to:

  • A minimum 140 megahertz of total spectrum in the contiguous United States and an average of 161 megahertz nationwide; that’s bandwidth in every available market, 406 markets in all.
  • Up to 200 megahertz in 158 mostly rural markets covering nearly 40 million people. This will further enhance Verizon’s broadband solution portfolio for rural America.

“Since we began building 5G, we have had a first mover advantage. We are more than a year ahead in building and selling mmWave with our 5G Ultra Wideband service and still the only company with commercial Mobile Edge Compute. Now we intend to extend our lead by accelerating our deployment of C-Band. Our new C-Band position combined with our mmWave, means we are the only carrier suited to deploy the fastest, most powerful 5G experience to the most people – or as we call it, 5G built right.”

More service in more places

Accelerated access to best-in-class spectrum holdings means greater capacity and faster speeds in major metro areas where Verizon’s network is already undefeated in 96.8% of the metro drive tests (121 out of 125 markets) performed by the most rigorous scientific testing company** in the first half of 2023. Additional spectrum also allows Verizon to continue expanding coverage of its 5G network, the most reliable in the US,*** introducing 5G Ultra Wideband service into even more rural and suburban areas.

 

 

* Market is defined in terms of PEA or Partial Economic Area defined by the FCC.

** Rankings based on the RootMetrics® metro RootScore® Reports for 125 metro areas tested during Jan – June 2023: Tested with best commercially available smartphones on three mobile networks across all available network types. Your experiences may vary. The RootMetrics award is not an endorsement of Verizon.

*** Rankings based on the RootMetrics® State of 5G in the US Report: 2H 2022. Tested with best commercially available smartphones on three mobile networks across all available network types. Your experiences may vary. The RootMetrics award is not an endorsement of Verizon.

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14
Aug, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

Palm Beach-based HotelPlanner acquires leading travel platform Lucid Travel

Read Time 3 Minutes

Downtown West Palm Beach-based, HotelPlanner, a leading travel technology platform and hotel booking engine, announced the the acquisition of Lucid Travel.

Lucid Travel is a leading sports travel technology company that serves universities, sports teams, and event directors. These market segments are core business segment and growth areas for HotelPlanner and areas in which the two companies share deep expertise plus operational synergies. Lucid believes that travel can be better for teams and that the real innovation needed in sports travel will come from automating the end-to-end booking & management process and focusing on great user experience, notification design, and software automation.

Lucid Travel was co-Founded in 2018 by CEO Ben Knosby and CTO Nick Karagiannis. The company’s software is currently used by more than 150 universities and 10,000+ teams. Under Ben and Nick’s leadership, Lucid Travel has experienced triple-digit growth year-over-year, which is a testament to their strategic vision and managerial talents.

The company currently serves 10,000+ teams, 1000+ events, and over 150 universities in the USA and Canada. Whether you’re a youth soccer club or a university with 40,000 students – booking, tracking and saving money should be easier. Lucid Travel offers a one-stop solution that allows teams to access the entire market of travel vendors in one place while making it easier to book & manage travel services.

“We’re proud to join the HotelPlanner team to supercharge growth across the sports, events, and university markets. With HotelPlanner’s vast network in sports and world-class technology, we’re perfectly positioned to expand our reach and continue making sports team travel better.” says Ben Knosby & Nick Karagiannis, Co-founders, Lucid Travel.

What makes this a smart acquisition for HotelPlanner? 

  • The strongest synergy is with Sports Tournaments & Team Travel, a very successful side of Lucid. HotelPlanner will work with Lucid Travel to drive more business from this segment.
  • Lucid has a very robust suite of software products designed to increase conversion and automate manual tasks. HotelPlanner will implement this software at a broader scale.
  • Lucid helps thousands of Event Directors source and book hotels using group room blocks and hotel contracts. HotelPlanner is integrating Lucid’s existing book of business to the HotelPlanner platform, to increase bookings and operational efficiencies.
  • Lucid provides a one-stop shop for universities and colleges to manage their travel. Adding the Lucid Travel brand to our university partnerships will help us grow this vertical.

Founded in 2003, HotelPlanner has enduring partnerships with the world’s largest online travel agencies, well-known hotel chains, individual hotels, online wedding providers, ancillary lodging providers, corporations, professional and youth sports teams and franchises, universities and government agencies.

HotelPlanner combines proprietary artificial intelligence capabilities, and a 24/7 global gig-based reservations and customer service network. Travel agents can customize all traveler hotel and accommodation needs from a single platform while providing localized advice. HotelPlanner is one of the world’s leading providers of individual, group and corporate travel bookings, specializing in unique “Closed User Group” discount rates offered in unpublished private sale environments.

“Partnering with Lucid Travel is very smart for our business and well-timed with the return of group and sports travel. This partnership plays to our mutual strengths, and it provides a runway for future growth. A Win-Win!” says Tim Hentschel, Co-founder & CEO, HotelPlanner.

Learn more at www.HotelPlanner.com

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13
Aug, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

Streann Media gets USPTO patent for disruptive advertising technology

Read Time 4 Minutes

Streann Media has announced the approval of a USPTO patent for non-intrusive video advertising for different screen formats and devices.

This is a groundbreaking step towards Streann’s vision of TV 3.0, which includes new ad technologies and business models for the upcoming era of content.

Founded in 2016, Streann Media is dedicated to transforming the future of digital content creation and delivery with its vision of TV 3.0. The company provides cutting-edge technology for broadcasters and content providers, offering solutions that dramatically enhance viewer engagement and introduce innovative monetization methods. Through its commitment to continuous innovation, Streann Media is propelling the OTT streaming revolution, advancing TV 3.0, and setting the stage for the future of the broadcasting industry.

Streann Media’s Inside-Ad represents a significant breakthrough in targeted advertising for content providers and brands, as AVOD models and Connected TVs continue to grow. AVOD, or Advertising-based Video on Demand, is a model where video content is made available for viewing on the internet and supported by advertisements that are integrated into the viewing experience.

Streann leverages advanced data analytics, machine learning, and user behavior insights to deliver highly personalized advertisements to viewers, ensuring that they watch non-intrusive video commercials that are not only relevant but also tailored to their specific interests. Inside-ad brings advertisers significantly superior results in conversions, allowing media companies to obtain returns of up to 350% in their investment.

Unlike traditional advertising methods that disrupt the viewing experience, Inside-Ad seamlessly integrates advertisements into the content, maintaining the flow of the programming while delivering targeted messages to viewers. This approach not only improves user satisfaction but also increases the effectiveness of advertising campaigns by reaching audiences that are genuinely interested in the promoted products or services.

“We just solved the Skip-Ad problem. The number one reason why people leave a video player is pre-roll ads, which are commonly called ‘Skip-Ads,’ commented Gio Punzo, CEO of Streann Media.

“This technology represents a significant milestone in our mission to revolutionize the streaming landscape, as we aim to create a win-win situation for advertisers, viewers, and content creators.”

Antonio Brito General Manager of JBFM, one of Brazil and America’s major media groups, stated that “Streann has been a great partner for a number of years. We implemented several monetization features, and now we are looking forward to licensing Streann’s Inside-Ad SDK and integrating the technology with several of our apps and partners.”

Rádio JBFM and Radio Cidade are two of the most popular Radio Stations in Brazil, with over 200 Million impressions per year. The media company, leader in Rio de Janeiro, was looking for cutting edge technology to improve end-user experience via mobile Apps and new forms of monetization. They had tried different solutions, but none of them worked until they implemented Streann.

JBFM and Radio Cidade were able to reach larger audiences globally, expanding the footprint of the radio station and adding thousands of new users. Thanks to Inside-Ad and its non-invasive video advertising system, viewability rate increased up to 95% for brands. With Inside-Chat, JBFM and Radio Cidade had been able to create innovative campaigns, increase engagement by 300% and double the number of app downloads.

“This project is very special to us. Brazil is huge! We are thrilled to bring new content experiences to one of the most important Radio groups from Río de Janeiro. Our technology -integrated with Triton- is generating new revenue for JBFM and Radio Cidade, and reaching new levels of engagement with their end-users. The model works!” said Gio Punzo.

Other advertisers have included Disney, Toyota, Comcast, Visa and many other recognizable global brands.

Streann Media is expected to release an SDK version of the patent by Q4 2023, to allow any video player to integrate and increase revenues 10x with ads. With Inside-Ad, content providers can say goodbye to ineffective “Skip Ad”. By taking a decentralized approach to content management, Streann enables users to take ownership of their content and data and build their own media empires with ease. Established in Miami, Florida, the company has won multiple industry awards, has millions of active users, and has been deployed in 141 countries.

For more information, visit https://streann.com/ads_programmatic/

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13
Aug, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

FAU Tech Runway announces the 16 startups of cohort 12

Read Time 3 Minutes

FAU Tech Runway® recently announced the 16 companies accepted to participate in the 12th cohort of its Venture Program.

FAU Tech Runway is a South Florida public-private partnership that serves as a hub to accelerate technology development and incubate startup companies. The Venture Program provides the most promising startups and talented entrepreneurs in South Florida with an opportunity to join a year-long program that offers resources from FAU’s Innovation and Business Development pipeline, entrepreneurial instruction, structured team-based mentoring, networking, marketing and capital-raising assistance, co-working space, events, intern support, and other vital programs.

Companies accepted into the Venture Program must have strategic alignment with FAU’s research focus areas, including drone technologies; educational technologies; environmental science; marine science; ocean engineering; neuroscience; healthy aging; big data analytics; artificial intelligence; machine learning; cyber security; sensing; and smart systems.

The 16 companies in Venture Class 12 are:

  • Clinical Fitness provides a safe environment where clients can be guided and educated by medical professionals in the proper use of gym equipment.
  • DashOne is a developing wearable tech that empowers athletes to improve their form and performance in real time through reinforcement cues and in-depth analytics.
  • DealHero, LLC is a web platform designed to connect military, veterans and first responders with businesses that support them by offering deals and discounts on their products and services.
  • Glowby Lightbulbs are patent-pending, long-lasting, rechargeable lightbulbs for places where running wiring is impossible or impractical. Install lighting fixtures anywhere and have easy, instant light that can last years before requiring a recharge.
  • Housing Nonprofit is a platform connecting renters with housing grants to purchase a home. Their technology analyzes the requirements for all incentives to buy a house and allow users to check eligibility for all programs via a single form.
  • HUMM STAFFING is an app platform that connects healthcare professionals with hospital shift work.
  • Integral Vista Solutions is a company that provides innovative technological solutions to improve the efficiency and profitability of residential service companies.
  • Kastaco connects talent such as models, actors, voice-over artists, singers and musicians with valuable opportunities.
  • MM COMMUNICA INC is a digital public relations firm dedicated to helping small businesses and personal brands improve their reputation and authority online.
  • Printed Patio uses concrete 3D printing to generate bespoke landscape and architectural features.
  • Puttrax 360 is golf’s first AR gaming and training experience for putting, where computer vision technology automatically tracks and scores every putt.
  • RideGuide is an app that provides a highly customized library to educate drivers on the proper use and operation of features and technology in their cars using videos, searchable manuals and how-to guides.
  • SecureTec ID is a software mobile application that uses biometric data gathered from contactless fingerprints for the community and policing. It also provides identification and additional intel, utilizing numerous databases, to promote and encourage safety.
  • Telly College LLC empowers students to maximize their college experience, by use of daily on- and off-campus events with voting and attendance stats.
  • Therapy in a Click aims to establish a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that uplifts mental health care accessibility by offering free virtual therapy sessions with licensed mental health professionals to high school students within Palm Beach County.
  • Wisp Energy LLC (WE) will employ a proprietary Dual Axis Wind Turbine (DAWT) using advanced AI and ML to improve wind turbine performance, adding variables to the wind interaction and yielding improvements of more than 30 percent in efficiency and/or ROI.

Venture Class 12 participants join a robust community of fellow entrepreneurs, mentors, investors, instructors and top-level support professionals.

FAU Tech Runway® is a public-private partnership formed to incubate and accelerate early-stage technology-based companies, under the purview of FAU’s Division of Research . Applications for the next cycle of the Venture Program will open in Fall 2023.

For more information on FAU Tech Runway® Venture Program, visit https://www.fau.edu/techrunway/tech-runway-venture-program/

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13
Aug, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

IMLS invests more than $31 Million in grants to museums across America including Ft. Lauderdale’s MODS

Read Time 5 Minutes

Just this month, The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announced the Museum of Discovery and Science (MODS) in Fort Lauderdale as one of eight recipients of the 2023 National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation’s highest honor given to museums and libraries that make significant and exceptional contributions to their communities.

IMLS is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. IMLS envisions a nation where individuals and communities have access to museums and libraries to learn from and be inspired by the trusted information, ideas, and stories they contain about our diverse natural and cultural heritage.

Over the past 29 years, the award has celebrated institutions that are making a difference for individuals, families and communities. This year’s grant awards total over a whopping $31 million for museums across the nation to improve services to their communities.

Through the agency’s largest competitive grant program, Museums for America, and its special initiatives, Museums Empowered and Inspire! Grants for Small Museums, a total of 218 projects were selected from 568 applications requesting $73,685,100. Institutions receiving awards are matching them with $46,546,077 in non-federal funds.

“It is a delight to announce the Museums for America grants for 2023 to an extraordinary group of Museums, Gardens, Zoos, and Aquariums. These funds will in turn put the riches of our cultural institutions in reach of so many of our communities,” said IMLS Director Crosby Kemper.

“The Museum welcomes individuals from all walks of life to visit, experience, connect, and discover inspiring science. MODS’ inclusivity and accessibility programs have a direct impact on the south Florida community, especially children.”

Crosby Kemper is the sixth director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. He was commissioned by the White House on January 24, 2020, following his confirmation by the United States Senate. IMLS, an independent government agency, is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s museums and libraries.

Founded in 1976 as the Discovery Center, today the Museum of Discovery & Science, or “MODS,” is at the forefront of science education, innovation and exploration. The mission of MODS is Connecting People to Inspiring Science. Through our mission, MODS elevates the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) in our lives, impacting more than 450,000 visitors annually.

The Museum embraces six enduring values: DISCOVERY through inquiry-based learning experiences; INCLUSIVITY in which equity and access are vital to success; COLLABORATION in pursuit of mission-based public and private partnerships; CREATIVITY where inspiration and innovation take flight; EDUCATION as an inspirational force for informal science; and VISITOR FOCUSED, fostering a warm and welcoming atmosphere with layers of learning. National recognition from IMLS is meaningful as it signifies the important role MODS has played not only in our region, but as a national leader in the museum field and a model for community engagement and social impact.

Selected from 30 national finalists, the 2023 National Medal for Museum and Library Service winners represent institutions that provide dynamic programming and services that exceed expected levels of service. Through their community outreach, these institutions bring about change that touches the lives of individuals and helps communities thrive.

“To be singled out by IMLS from among the many thousands of museums in the United States is a tribute to our dedicated leadership, outstanding staff, devoted volunteers, generous supporters, and visionary founders who all give of themselves to fulfill our mission. We are grateful to IMLS and this honor will inspire us to do more,” said Joseph P. Cox, president and CEO of MODS.

“MODS is committed to a mission of connecting people to inspiring science for children and adults of all ages and abilities. The Museum is a changemaker, a dynamic hub for STEM learning that builds connections of trust and belonging. Museums are more necessary than ever before as institutions of learning. Together, we foster understanding and change that leads to a more just and healthy future.”

The IMLS award was presented at a ceremony this summer in Washington, DC. The 2023 National Medal for Museum and Library Service Medal Winners are:

Libraries:

  • Kuskokwim Consortium Library (Bethel, AK)
  • LA County Library (Los Angeles, CA)
  • Long Branch Free Public Library (Long Branch, NJ)
  • Toledo Lucas County Public Library (Toledo, OH)

Museums:

  • Center of Science and Industry (COSI) (Columbus, OH)
  • Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum (Buffalo, WY)
  • Museum of Discovery and Science (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
  • Riverside Art Museum (Riverside, CA)

Additional programs funded by IMLS are Museums for America, Museums Empowered, and Inspire! Grants for Small Museums.

MODS, was also recently awarded funds via the Museums for America grant for $240,500. This grant supports projects that strengthen the ability of individual museums to benefit the public by providing high-quality, inclusive learning experiences, maximizing resources to address community needs through partnerships and collaborations, and by preserving and providing access to the collections entrusted to their care. 122 projects were funded through this year’s Museums for America program.

The Museum of Discovery and Science in Fort Lauderdale, Florida will expand its STEMobile program, a mobile maker space program for early learners ages three to five and their caregivers and teachers. The program will serve 123 early learning centers in the 10 lowest-income zip codes in Broward County that are also the most affected by intergenerational poverty, economic immobility, and lowest educational attainment levels. The project will provide interactive STEM experiences for young children aligned with Florida Early Learning and Developmental Standards; a Family Science Night that reinforces the caregiver’s role as their child’s first teacher; and professional development resources that empower teachers to feel more confident about teaching STEM. The project will help reduce disparities in education for vulnerable young learners and help them succeed.

To learn more about MODS, visit https://mods.org/

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24
Jul, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

Tech Hub Announces 2023 Golden Palm Award Nominees

Read Time 2 Minutes

South Florida Tech Hub has announced the nominees for the 2023 Golden Palm Gala & Awards! 

The event will honor the companies, organizations and individuals who have greatly contributed to building South Florida’s technology community. The recipients range from successful CEOs, startup founders, and community leaders all recognized for their many achievements and contributions. Tech Hub received almost 100 nomination submissions. The event’s Presenting Sponsor is 35 Mules, an Innovation Hub powered by Florida Power & Light. 

The Golden Palm Awards will be held at the gorgeous Kravis Center for The Performing Arts located in downtown West Palm Beach down the street from the Brightline West Palm Beach Station. The event will open at 5:30 PM and close at 9:00 PM. Click Here to Purchase Tickets

 

Golden Palm Award Nominees:

Collaboration of The Year

Social Responsibility

Innovator of The Year

Community Connector

Inclusion Champion

EdTech Excellence

Leadership Excellence

 

Winners announced at the event. Get your ticket today! Save $25 with code NOM2023

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