South Florida Tech HubSouth Florida Tech Hub
10
Feb, 2024

By Nikki Cabus

Tech is a Hot Topic at Capital Analytics fifth anniversary of Invest: Palm Beach

Read Time 8 Minutes

On February 7th, Capital Analytics Associates, held the Invest: Palm Beach Conference highlighting insights and perspectives in the region’s business economy. 

Capital Analytics is an integrated media company that serves the needs of businesses, executives, investors and entrepreneurs through forging strategic connections and producing engaging, relevant and high-impact content. Their annual business reports have a global circulation and includes among its readers top executives working in real estate, finance, technology, trade and logistics, health, hospitality and others.

The report conducts a deep dive into the top economic sectors in the region, including real estate, construction, infrastructure, banking and finance, legal, healthcare, education and tourism. The publication is compiled from insights collected from more than 200 economic leaders, sector insiders, political leaders and heads of important institutions. It analyzes the leading challenges facing the market and uncovers emerging opportunities for investors, entrepreneurs and innovators.

Held at the luxurious boutique hotel, The Ben, on the waterfront of downtown West Palm Beach, Capital Analytics celebrated the official release of the fifth anniversary edition of Invest: Palm Beach with more than 200 business leaders in attendance. The discussions of the morning were pertaining to the key drivers impacting the present and future regional economy in Palm Beach County. The event included featured three panel discussions centered on the state of the economy, education and the future workforce, and transit-oriented development and transportation initiatives.

Panel 1: State of the Economy

Panelists included Andrew Duffel, President of Research Park at Florida Atlantic, Gary Lesser, Managing Attorney at Lesser, Lesser, Landy &Smith, PLLC, Kristin Turner, Senior Managing Director Palm Berach at RBC Wealth Management, and Carlos Diaz, Principal at Kaufman Rossin. The panel was moderated by Sandra Martin Ruiz, Regional Director at SBCD at Florida Atlantic. The panelists discussed how current trends will transform the makeup of Palm Beach’s economy and business.

The discussion focused on how quickly Palm Beach County’s business economy is transformaing. Discussions that once used to only include industries such as hospitality and healthcare now must include technology and overall innovation. Panelist Andrew Duffell spoke about the excitement across multiple industry sectors and some of the organizations doing important work in the booming technology space, supporting entreprenurship, and providing resources for research such as South Florida Tech Hub, 1909, and Research Park at FAU.

Andrew also spoke about the diversity of our region, easy access to Latin America, Europe and the Carribbean, and favorable business envoronment in South Florida. In the Invest: Palm Beach’s 5th Anniversay Edition, Andrew is quoted saying, “The population we have here in South Florida is key. We are completely diverse. No one group of anything or anyone dominated the demography of this region. That lends itself to curiousity and research. Anyone doing any kind of research, being sociologcal or clinical, wants and needs to be in South Florida in order to get a substantial cross section of the world’s profile.”

Through the Research Park‘s new international soft landings and second stage company development initiative, Global Ventures, second stage companies from around the world and United States will become profitable and sustainable companies that will positively impact South Florida’s economy.

For almost 40 years, the Research Park at Florida Atlantic University® has been home to technology companies and research-based organizations working to support scientific research at Florida Atlantic University with innovation and leadership. The Research Park aims to foster scientific research and technology-based development in Palm Beach and Broward counties and support the overall innovation across the South Florida region.

 

Panel 2: Prioritizing Education

Panelists included Valery Forbes, Dean of Charles E. Schmidt College of Science at FAU, Ralph Maurer, Head of School at Oxbridge Academy, and Linda Trethewey, Head of School at Rosarian Academy. The panel was moderated by Abby Lindenberg, President & CEO at Capital Analytics. The panelists discussed how Palm Beach County’s leaders are preparing students for the workforce of the future.

According to the 2024 randkking in niche.com, Palm Beach County boats some of the best private schools in the state of Florida including Donna Klein Jewish Academy (7th), Saint Andrew’s School (18th), Boca Prep International School (21st), The Benjamin School (22nd), Oxbridge Academy (23rd) and The King’s Academy (24th).

Exposing students to industries of interest, ensuring we train in transferrable skills, and helping our local talent understand the local opportunities avaiable to them here in the county and all around the region were topics of interest. The known issue of making sure companies are also paying competitive rates was also discussed as this leads to the brain drain in the region. Brain drain is when a large group of skilled workers leave an industry or an area causing the lack of important human capital. This is a silent killer that South Florida has faced for decades.

Each of the panelists spoke of the transfer of students from one school to another and the great relationship between each of the institutions from primary to higher education. A common theme was the quickly advancing tech industry and interjection of coding, artificial intelligence and general STEM education programs within the classrooms. Linda Threthewey spoke about the fact that she is preparing students who are going to be in the workforce in 2060 and with the advancements in technology, she has no idea what the workforce may look like then or the technical skills needed. Shje believes in the important of “critical thinking, digital and technological competency, entrepreneurial spirit” that will prepare these students to become future leaders.

According to the Florida Department of Education’s 2021 – 2022 Annual Report, of the 217,640 total PK-12 student enrollment in the 2021-22 school year, 27,981 (12.9%) were private school students and 189,659 (87.1%) were public school students. The district’s minority enrollments is approximately 70% with almost half of these students coming from underserved communities.

Although their is a desire and need for private school education through academies, charter schools, and college prepratory programs, the real need is for digital access within vulnerable communities, standard incorportated STEM education for all k-12 students, and enhanced STEM offerings for both teachers and students alike in the public school system. More collaborative efforts between governments, NGOs, and tech companies are needed to bring innovative solutions to areas lacking infrastructure. Household income set aside, we hope to see the Palm Beach County School District represented in future discussions knowing that a huge majority of the county’s students are receiving a public school education.

Invest: Palm Beach does have a feature article with Michael Burke, Superintendent for The School District of Palm Beach County where he addresses the high enrollments rates, learning loss and education gaps, teacher shortage, and even legislation and funding.

 

Panel 3: Moving Forward

Panelists included David Dech, Executive Director of Tri-Rail at South Florida Regional Transportation Authority, Jonathan Hopkins, Executive Director at WPB Mobility Coalition, Valerie Neilson, Executive Director at Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency, and Todd Bonlarron, Assistant County Administrator of Palm Beach County. The panel was moderated by Ryan Gandolfo, Senior Editor at Capital Analytics. The panelists discussed transit-oriented development and infrastructure in Palm Beach County.

This was a very interesting and important discussion addressing the increased growth across the entire county including downtown areas, lack of affordable housing, and limited land for new home construction within the county. Cities in the western communities such as Wellington and the county’s newest city Westlake are experiencing an influx of new residents, but with sky-rocketing home prices, even these communities cannot meet the needs of all incoming new residents forcing residents to look north.

According to US News and World Report, Port St. Lucie, part of the Treasure Coast just north of Palm Beach County, is ranked as the 5th fastest-growing city for homebuyers in the United States. Although, the city does not have have the business economy needed to employ its residents keeping them local. In multiple reports, including the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, has shared that over the past decade an average of 60% of workers who reside in St. Lucie County are employed outside the county with a huge majority traveling to Palm Beach County.

Both issues are causing longer drive times, congestion on the roads, a community dependent on cars, increased competition for those who live locally, and additional pollution in the area.

The introduction of Brightline was a very positive addition to the county’s transporation services between 2018 – 2023, but don’t address the needs of those living in the western communities, those coming from neighboring counties, and the underserved workforce who may need public transporation in order to get to work.

The panel discussed the lack of a Mobility Plan for connected and walkable cities like our sister counties to the south that give people access to jobs, healthcare, and other basic necessities and resources. They also brought up strategies and plans such as the Live Local Act, a comprehensive and far-reaching workforce housing initiative and the new Port St. Lucie Express, express buses from Port St. Lucie to the Intermodal Transit Center in West Palm Beach for as little as $3. All panelists agreed that education around the stigma of using public transportation is also necessary.

Todd Bonlarron educated the audience by stating, ” At the request of Commission Greg Weiss, Reltaed Companies, and others, the County Commission partnered with Related and going to Tallahassee to create some technology enhancements along the Okeechobee corridor. We’ve got about $3.5 million dollars in the state budget right now that we hope to bring back to help introduce some more of that advanced technology into our signalization here so that we can move buses, move cars a little more quickly and efficiently . . .”

He continued, “Investing in that technology and working together and looking at how we’re going to fund a lot of the big ideas that we have going forward.”

Technology was an important part of each of the morning’s panel discussions. Technology is changing. Change creates innovation. Let’s innovate together!

TOGETHER, we are #BuildingSoFlo!

Interested in checking out each of the panels for yourself? Panel 1 | Panel 2 | Panel 3

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09
Feb, 2024

By Nikki Cabus

JPMorgan Chase deploys the first $2 million to advance tech equity in Miami

Read Time 4 Minutes

JPMorgan Chase announced the deployment of the first $2 million across four organizations to advance racial equity in the Miami tech sector.

BrainStation, a program of Miami Foundation, CodePath, Rebrand Cities, and YWCA of South Florida working with gener8tor, will each receive $500,000 to empower underrepresented Miamians to enter and thrive in the tech industry through technology workforce training, career services and support for small businesses.

In 2022, JPMorgan Chase announced it was committing $10 million toward the $100 million Tech Equity Miami initiative to support greater inclusivity in Miami’s growing tech industry.

  • BrainStation is building inclusive pathways into technology careers by offering 50 full-ride scholarships to underrepresented Miamians for their Software Engineering and UX Design programs.
  • CodePath is reprogramming higher education to create a more diverse generation of software engineers, CTOs, and founders. In Miami, CodePath will expand its Pathways to Tech initiative at local universities, offering courses in web development and coding.
  • Rebrand Cities will increase support for diverse founders in Miami by equipping them with the cutting-edge tools necessary to improve their digital footprint on the social web as well as digitize internal operations. The experiences will include web development and audit services, social media strategy, mentorship and exposure to AI and web3.
  • YWCA of South Florida, working with gener8tor, will provide additional workforce training and employment under the Miami Digital Skilling in Action project to help ensure that Miami’s booming tech ecosystem is equitable and inclusive.

“The strong growth of the tech industry in Miami represents a powerful opportunity for the local economy,” said Doug Petno, CEO of Commercial Banking at JPMorgan Chase. “Our commitment is targeted to help more people and businesses obtain the skills, insight, network and support needed to be successful in this rapidly growing market.”

Recognizing Miami’s growing status as a global tech hub, Tech Equity Miami was launched last year with The Knight Foundation and aīre ventures to help remove barriers to entry for people of color in the tech industry and to create more opportunities for underrepresented youth and small businesses. To measure community impact, all Tech Equity Miami projects will contribute information and statistics to a public database that tracks progress towards the initiative’s outcomes and impact goals.

“As the tech industry in Miami continues to grow, we’re focused on breaking down barriers to bring in previously untapped talent and support a competitive, diverse local sector,” said Demetrios Marantis, Global Head of Corporate Responsibility at JPMorgan Chase. “We are proud to announce these first commitments that will help more Miamians participate in the tech revolution and, in turn, advance a more inclusive economy for all.”

This announcement affirms JPMorgan Chase’s commitment to helping historically underserved groups and emerging talent attain equal access to skills training and career opportunities. Support for Tech Equity Miami aims to not only power economic growth, but also to help set Miami’s tech ecosystem on a path to greater equity and inclusivity.

“As a result of this investment from JPMorgan Chase, hundreds of Miamians will gain skills for in-demand, high paying careers in tech. In addition, dozens of diverse-owned small businesses will have access to the resources and tools they need to make their businesses successful. It’s that simple,” said Leigh-Ann Buchanan, president of aīre ventures. “This special partnership between Tech Equity Miami, JPMorgan Chase and the beneficiaries of designated projects demonstrates the power of investment to grow and strengthen not only an industry, but a city.”

Support for Tech Equity Miami is part of JPMorgan Chase’s $30 billion racial equity commitment, which aims to help close the racial wealth gap and drive economic inclusion by providing more opportunities for homeownership, access to affordable housing, entrepreneurship and bolstering financial health.

JPMorgan Chase has been doing business in Miami and South Florida for more than 45 years and employs more than 2,400 people locally. The bank serves more than 1.7 million customers and 278,000 small businesses across South Florida.

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09
Feb, 2024

By Nikki Cabus

DSS Wins Third Place in the precisionFDA Veterans Cardiac Health and AI Model Predictions Challenge

Read Time 4 Minutes

Document Storage Systems, Inc. (DSS) announced it has been named a third-place winner in Phase 2 of the precisionFDA Veterans Cardiac Health and AI Model Predictions (V-CHAMPS) Challenge.

Palm Beach County-based DSS Inc. is a leading provider of health information technology (HIT) solutions for federal, private and public health care organizations. DSS is a catalyst for health care innovation and digital transformation, helping the Department of Veterans Affairs as a solutions provider, systems integrator, and services contractor. DSS is committed to assisting VA in its High Reliability Organization journey and delivering care quality for Veterans by meeting top initiatives, changing regulatory requirements, and implementing enhanced business transformation across VA enterprise.

The V-CHAMPS challenge calls on the scientific and data analytics community to develop and evaluate Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) models to predict cardiovascular health related outcomes in Veterans. Cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure and peripheral artery disease, are the leading cause of hospitalization in the VA health care system, and are a major cause of disability among Veterans.

In 2013, the Department of Veterans Affairs published a study that found that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) might be an underlying cause of developing premature cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular health is an important part of Veteran health, therefore the prevention and reduction of risk for heart disease is a key area of focus for the VA.

For Phase 1, the DSS team led by Xiupeng Wei, PhD, was able to meet key criteria in the challenge using the synthetic Veteran data provided and which included a combination of clinical and data science subject matter experts. They were evaluated on innovation in clinical predictors, completeness of data science approaches, statistical metrics, and the exploration of demographics measures. As a result, the DSS team was selected as a Top Performer for Phase 1.

Phase 1 was focused on synthetic data and ran from May 25 to August 2, 2023. In this Phase of the Challenge, AI/ML models were developed by Challenge participants and trained and tested on the synthetic data sets provided to them, with a view towards predicting outcome variables for Veterans who have been diagnosed with chronic heart failure. Please note that in Phase 1, the data is synthetic Veteran health records.

For Phase 2 of the V-CHAMPS challenge, DSS won third place for creating predictive algorithms using AI/ML, which were tested used actual Veteran data, producing highly accurate results.

Phase 2 focused on validating and further exploring the limits of the AI/ML models. During this Phase, high-performing AI/ML models from Phase 1 were brought into the VA system and validated on real-world Veterans health data within the VHA.

“We are honored to be named a winner in the V-CHAMPS challenge, and are moving towards using these predictive algorithms for cardiac health in our product suite,” said Michele G. Burst, director strategic innovations, analytics at DSS.

“Our vision is to use these AI/ML capabilities to fully understand and predict Veteran health outcomes, which will have tremendous implications on the future of Veteran care.”

The primary outcome of interest for the V-CHAMPS challenge is a composite of all-cause mortality during a hospitalization and all-cause hospital readmissions. Secondary outcomes of interest are all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality during a hospitalization, hospital readmission for all causes (cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular), and hospital readmissions for cardiovascular causes.

According to the preceisionFDA website, “The V-CHAMPS Challenge showed us that artificial intelligence (AI) models that performed well on the synthetic patient data in Phase 1 also performed well on the RWD during Phase 2, highlighting the potential value of using synthetic data in AI model development. Teams that employed ensemble learning approaches also tended to perform the best. Overall, isolating the clinical features that drove model performance was considered the most critical differentiator in evaluating whether AI models could potentially be valuable aids to clinicians treating patients with cardiovascular conditions such as heart failure. A formal publication is planned to provide more detailed information on the V-CHAMPS Challenge, the challenge process, the lessons learned, and details of the models entered into the challenge.”

The V-CHAMPS challenge is managed by the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Innovation Ecosystem (IE), the Digital Health Center of Excellence (DHCoE) at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the FDA Office of Digital Transformation (ODT)’s precisionFDA, and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

Learn more about the V-CHAMPS Challenge winners and the challenge outcomes here.

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09
Feb, 2024

By Nikki Cabus

Broward-based CentralReach Aquires SILAS, a Rapidly Growing, Provider of SEL and Behavior Solutions for PreK-12 Students

Read Time 4 Minutes

CentralReach announced the acquisition of SILAS – a social and emotional learning (SEL) and behavior solution for PreK-12 general, special, and transition vocational education programs.

Founded in 2012 in Pompano Beach, CentralReach has become the #1 ABA and Multi-Disciplinary Software Provider for Autism and IDD Care featuring end-to-end applied behavior analysis and multi-disciplinary software that supports the delivery of ABA, speech, occupational, and related therapies for care at home, school, and work. Today, under the leadership of Chris Sullens, award-winning CEO in the technology space, CentralReach is the leader in the applied behavior analysis (ABA) field continually striving to propel the autism and IDD care industry forward through cutting-edge technology, an unrelenting commitment to excellence, and a culture devoted to serving the growing neurodiverse population.

The SILAS software will be incorporated into CentralReach’s suite of education solutions, which currently includes ABLLS-R|AFLS digital assessments, IEP management and student rostering, data collection, parent training and professional development tools – making CentralReach one of the only providers in the space to offer a comprehensive education suite that serves the entire student body, from general education to special education.

“We’ve been looking at what Chris and the SILAS team have been doing for quite some time and the impact they are having on the U.S. schools and students they work with,” said CEO Chris Sullens.

“The positive outcomes of their interactive, animation-first approach to social skill acquisition are truly impressive. Unlocking the power of SEL for this generation of children will have exponential impacts on our society as a whole and I’m honored to work alongside Chris and his team to accelerate their mission and increase their impact by expanding their reach in education, to embed their curricula into the market leading offerings we have for ABA providers and to add SEL and executive functioning curricula into our caregiver training products for families with a child diagnosed with autism and broader IDDs.”

Founded by Chris Dudick, SILAS offers research and evidenced-based, CASEL-aligned screening solutions to measure students’ abilities, SEL programs for all tiers with CASEL-aligned lessons, applied behavior analysis-based instruction tools, executive functioning solutions built by renowned industry-leader Dr. George McCloskey, transitional vocational solutions, and so much more. SILAS uses proprietary assessments to customize the learning plan for each student and accelerates reinforcement and retention of those skills through an interactive, animated app that allows students to make bespoke animated videos tied to each lesson. SILAS has almost tripled in size since 2020 purely through word of mouth and teacher referrals and now touches 35,000 students across over 40 school districts in New Jersey. SILAS’s increasing adoption among districts is tied to its effectiveness as a solution. A 2019 study also concluded that the use of SILAS curriculum and software generated a statistically significant increase in student ratings in all competency areas.

Research has shown that treating the whole child by providing social skills training alongside academic training both leads to improved academic achievement as well as helps students learn the skills necessary to navigate their emotions and relationships, ultimately having long-term benefits on students’ lives and outcomes both in and outside of the classroom. While investment in SEL programs continues to grow as seen with the U.S. Department of Education’s announcement last year of a 13.6% increase in investment for these programs; schools have struggled to find tools and curriculum that enables fast adoption and success of these programs. SILAS has been able to step in to help schools unlock the potential of SEL programs by accelerating student understanding and outcomes thanks to the software’s gamification features in ways that have exceeded administrators’ and teachers’ expectations.

Another SILAS customer, Ettie Luban, MA, CCC-SLP, BCBA, Speech Pathologist from Bright Beginnings, also shared, “The students are highly motivated by the moviemaking component. It has been exceedingly beneficial when teaching a wide range of SEL skills to my students.”

“I’m very proud of the solution we’ve built and the impact that we’ve made on our customers’ programs,” said Chris Dudick, CEO of SILAS. “I chose to partner with CentralReach because of their strong, mission-driven culture and the vast amount of resources, expertise and talent they bring, which will enable us to take the product to new levels and unlock even more potential within the schools that we serve. I look forward to helping the CentralReach team integrate and expand the reach of SILAS’s SEL and executive functioning programs in both the education and ABA provider markets and am particularly excited about adding this curricula as a tool for caregivers through CentralReach’s caregiver-focused application, CR Care Coordinator.”

In addition to SILAS, CentralReach offers leading solutions for special education including the well-known ABLLS-R | AFLS CR Assessments product, which is used by 300+ school districts to help teachers assess students on over 2,400 skills.

Learn learn more abou CentralReach, please visit https://centralreach.com/

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02
Feb, 2024

By Nikki Cabus

2000 Students Attend the Annual ‘Claim Your Future Showcase’ in Palm Beach and Broward Counties

Read Time 4 Minutes

On January 30th and 31st, almost 2000 high school students in both Palm Beach and Broward counties hosted events allowing for a day of career exploration.

An ecominic development and career readiness initiative, the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County, Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, CareerSource Palm Beach, and the Palm Beach and Broward County school distrcits hosted events in their respective counties to showcase career opportunities to high school students. Companies were invited to participate as exhitors, speakers, mock interview volunteers, and more.

The “Claim Your Future Showcase,” was started by The Business Development Board of Palm Beach County and and then Broward County got in on the action hopsting their own as well. Each year, the goal of the events are to inspire and showcase the many career paths available to local high school students from the School District of Palm Beach County and Broward County in hopes that the students stay in South Florida after graduation. It’s a day for businesses to shine a light on their industries and for students to take another step toward their future careers.

In Palm Beach County, almost 1200 students had the opportunity to meet with companies such as Amazon, Bank of America, Cox Science Center, Discover the Palm Beaches, ESPN West Palm, Farm Credit, Finfrock, Florida Crystals, Florida Power & Light, HCA Healthcare, HotelPlanner, Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, Keiser University, Kravis Center for Performing Arts, Marine Industries Association of Palm Beach County, Memorial Healthcare System, Nova Southeastern University, Oxbow Carbon, , Palm Beach County Planning, Zoning & Building, Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort & Spa, Palm Beach State College, PBC STEM Ecosystem, Port of Palm Beach, Regions Bank, School District of Palm Beach County, The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute, Tropical Shipping, U.S. Army, Wells Fargo and many others.

In Broward County, the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, in partnership with Broward County Public Schools, hosted the 7th annual Claim Your Future Showcase. The Broward event offered workforce preparation and business exposure to nearly 1,000 students from Career and Technical Education programs awaiting them in our community.

One of those companies was LAN InfoTech, a professional information technology consulting and engineering firm specializing in cybersecurity. Glen Benjamin, LAN InfoTech’s Community Account Manager and South Florida Tech Hub Board Member attended the event as an exhibitor.

Glen is a huge advocate in the community supporting talent and workforce development efforts and STEAM events for students all acros the South Florida region. Creating a proper pipeline of talent and then ensuring they are aware of the opportunities locally are crucial to building a strong and thriving ecosystem for years to come.

The day was filled with workforce development activities, including mock interviews, an executive panel discussion, and a showcase of local businesses. The sponsors that made this possible were: Advanced Roofing, the City of Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, Memorial Healthcare System, Amerant Bank Arena, and Delaware North.

“Investing in our future is important. These are the future leaders of our community,” said Ft. Lauderdale City Manager, Greg Chevarria.

The panelists included:

  • Greg Chavarria | City Manager for Fort Lauderdale
  • Andrew Zullo | CEO of Leadership Broward
  • Barkha Herman, Technology CEO and non-profit founder
  • Cathy Miron | President and CEO of eSilo
  • Bryce Hollweg | COO of Florida Panthers
  • Bob Swindell | President and CEO of Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance

“Events like these have a profound impact on students, especially young women, many of whom are interested in careers in tech, but aren’t sure how to get started or who worry they don’t “fit the mold,” said Cathy Miron, CEO of eSilo and Tech Hub Board Member.

“There are plenty of local women blazing new trails across South Florida and I hope that our stories inspire the next generation of women engineers, developers, cyber analysts, and project managers,” she continued.

Students not only have the chance to meet with local employers, but they have the chance to practice networking and communication skills, apply for internships, and hear from local experts on the benefits of staying local, the business economy we have in South Florida, and some of the exciting work being done right in their backyard!

 

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02
Feb, 2024

By Nikki Cabus

Social Mobile Welcomes Geoff Leonard as New Chief Revenue Officer

Read Time 2 Minutes

Social Mobile recently announced the appointment of Geoff Leonard as Chief Revenue Officer.

Social Mobile is an enterprise mobility solutions provider who designs, engineers, and manages custom mobility solutions for clients in all industries from healthcare to retail to defense. Our team of certified Android Enterprise experts work to deliver a fully custom mobility solution that includes hardware, software, managed mobility services, connectivity, and more.

Geoff Leonard brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Social Mobile, with a rich history working on Google’s Android Enterprise team, both directly with clients and partners.

“We are thrilled to welcome Geoff to the Social Mobile leadership team as our Chief Revenue Officer,” said Founder and. “His proven track record in driving revenue growth and building successful teams will undoubtedly contribute to the continued growth and success of this company.”

Before joining Social Mobile, Geoff served as the General Manager of North America at CleverTap, a global mobile marketing automation company headquartered in San Francisco. Prior to CleverTap, Geoff served as North American Regional Manager of Android Enterprise at Google, successfully launching the world’s first Android Enterprise purpose-built and BYOD projects for renowned clients such as Pitney Bowes and Guardian Health. 

Prior to Google, Geoff served as Director of Sales at Divide, the company responsible for building the original Android Enterprise framework. Geoff and Mike Burr (Social Mobile’s CTO) worked together at Divide. Their technology became what is now Android Enterprise after the company was acquired by Google in 2014.

Geoff expressed his excitement, stating, “Social Mobile has a strong reputation as a leader in enterprise mobility, and I am honored to join the team to help drive new business opportunities, expand our partnerships, and nurture our client relationships.”

Geoff has 15 years of experience building and managing go-to-market teams for SaaS, Mobile, Martech, and Cloud companies, with 2 successful SaaS acquisitions by Google and Clevertap. Social Mobile’s commitment to innovation, growth, and fostering partnerships remains steadfast, and the addition of Geoff Leonard to its executive team signifies a new chapter of collaboration.

“Looking forward to helping take Social Mobile to new heights with you Robert Morcos, Benjamin Y., Ed Shulman and Mike Burr, CISSP, GIAC GMOB,” Geoff wrote in a social media post. “Lookout Android Enterprise, I’m back!”

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02
Feb, 2024

By Nikki Cabus

Two New Vibrant Miami Co-working Spaces Open in Downtown and Wynwood

Read Time 3 Minutes

Mindspace, a global boutique flexible workspace provider, is excited to announce its official launch in Miami.

Mindspace was founded in 2014 and doubled its locations in the United States in the past year alone. The expansion into the thriving South Florida market with two locations, in Downtown Miami and at The Gateway in Wynwood, marks a significant milestone for the company as it continues to grow its presence in the United States. The brand new workspaces are located at 100 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33132 and 2916 N. Miami Avenue, Miami, FL 33127.

Situated inside the beautiful 100 Biscayne building, in the heart of Miami’s rapidly growing Central Business District, Mindspace Downtown Miami offers unobstructed views of Biscayne Bay and the Downtown Miami skyline. This prime location has great connections to local transportation networks, including the Metromover light rail and major highways.

Spanning 31,000 square feet over three floors filled with timeless design and playful art, Mindspace Downtown Miami offers more than 400 workstations, with options of smaller and larger suites, individual hot desks and customizable enterprise solutions.

Located at the intersection of the iconic Wynwood and Midtown Miami neighborhoods, Mindspace Wynwood comprises private offices, large suites with one-on-one privacy booths, boutique meeting rooms and member lounge areas designed according to the highest standard.

In addition, Mindspace Wynwood offers shared access to the outdoor and penthouse rooftop terraces. Every site is staffed by a local team of community managers dedicated to addressing the unique needs of every single member and facilitating connections between different companies. The Wynwood location will soon have access to an on-site gym, restaurant, and bar.

Mindspace is a global provider of high-end flexible workspace, designed to serve the growing needs of the world’s leading small to medium-sized businesses and enterprises, and operates in more than 45 locations comprising 20 cities and 7 countries across Europe and the US. With a proven track record of fitting Fortune 500 companies with fully serviced, all-inclusive, and bespoke working environments, Mindspace provides a vast selection of tailorable space via large dedicated workspaces, team suites, and private offices.

With a focus on design and hospitality, Mindspace  caters a premium environment for individuals and companies to thrive in. Its latest Miami locations, which are situated in the heart of the city, offer state-of-the-art amenities and a vibrant community to enhance productivity and collaboration.

“Mindspace is thrilled to infuse Miami’s dynamic energy into our unique workspaces, establishing a vibrant presence in the heart of this thriving business hub,” said Dan Zakai, CEO and Co Founder of Mindspace.

“Expanding to two distinct locations within the same city underscores the immense potential we see in Miami. Our mission is to craft an unparalleled workplace experience, empowering businesses to flourish and individuals to unlock their full potential.”

As the demand for flexible workspaces continues to rise, Mindspace is committed to meeting the needs of professionals and seeking a dynamic and innovative workplace. Miami’s entrepreneurial spirit and diverse business landscape make it an ideal location for Mindspace’s expansion. The company aims to provide a supportive and inspiring work environment for startups, freelancers, and established businesses, fostering creativity and networking opportunities.

Mindspace is committed to offering its members the most effective, adaptable solutions for their business needs. This flexible approach avoids excess waste and overcapacity and provides a low-risk, low-commitment opportunity for future growth. With its arrival in Miami, Mindspace adds another major city to its expanding portfolio of global locations. The company already operates in more than 20 major world cities across Europe and the US.

Sign up now and get 1 month free!

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01
Feb, 2024

By Nikki Cabus

Greenberg Traurig adds former partner in Ballard Spahr LLP’s Consumer Financial Services Practice

Read Time 4 Minutes

Global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP continues to expand its Financial Regulatory & Compliance Practice with the addition of Lisa M. Lanham as a shareholder.

Lanham was formerly a partner in Ballard Spahr LLP’s Consumer Financial Services Practice and co-led the firm’s Fintech and Payment Solutions Team. She brings more than a decade of experience handling state licensing and regulatory compliance matters, helping clients in the consumer finance space obtain the necessary approvals to bring various new fintech products to market.

“Lisa brings extensive experience handling complex consumer finance matters for companies of all sizes and managing their state and regulatory compliance requirements from start to finish,” said Marina Olman-Pal, co-chair of Greenberg Traurig’s Financial Regulatory & Compliance Practice.

“As we continue to grow the practice and serve as a preeminent shop for financial regulatory and compliance matters, Lisa’s skillset and working relationships with key regulators will complement the practice and serve as a vital asset to our team. I look forward to working closely with Lisa to provide our clients with a broad scope of services to meet their business needs.”

Lanham’s diverse range of clients includes residential and commercial mortgage brokers, lenders, servicers, loan fulfilment providers, student, consumer, and solar loan lenders and servicers, marketplace lenders, and entities offering retail installment contracts for consumer goods. Moreover, she advises investors engaged in secondary market activities. Lanham also extends her support to emerging fintech firms, helping them comply with necessary state licensing requirements and develop products that meet regulatory demands.

Greenberg Traurig recently expanded its Financial Regulatory & Compliance Practice with the addition of former fintech state regulator Shane Foster in Phoenix. This follows on the heels of last year’s new hires of financial regulatory-focused attorneys Hilary R. Sledge-Sarnor in Los Angeles and Tim Dolan and Sierra M. Taylor in London.

Greenberg Traurig’s Financial Regulatory and Compliance Group has wide-ranging experience assisting national, regional and local clients in a variety of matters affecting the financial services industry. The national team of skilled attorneys works with clients as they face regulatory, litigation, legislative, supervision, examination, licensing, compliance and governance matters. Greenberg Traurig’s regulatory attorneys regularly advise banks, broker-dealers, investment advisors, mortgage lenders and servicers, payday lenders, consumer finance companies, registered and private investment funds, debt collectors and other financial institutions in complying with state and federal regulatory requirements and interfacing with governmental agencies.

“As regulations on both a national and state level continue to rapidly evolve, our team is at the forefront of the latest developments, providing clients with up-to-date legal counsel and assisting them in a variety of matters affecting the financial services industry,” said Jaret L. Davis, senior vice president of Greenberg Traurig.

Greenberg Traurig recently expanded its Financial Regulatory & Compliance Practice with the addition of former fintech state regulator Shane Foster in Phoenix. This follows on the heels of last year’s new hires of financial regulatory-focused attorneys Hilary R. Sledge-Sarnor in Los Angeles and Tim Dolan and Sierra M. Taylor in London.

“We have seen an increasing demand for these legal services, and by adding Lisa to our already strong team, we will be able to further enhance our ability to meet clients’ regulatory needs,” continued Davis.

Lisa Lanham was recognized in 2023 by The Financial Times as one of North America’s Innovative Lawyers for her involvement in the creation of an innovative technology platform for clients to manage their licensing portfolios. This technology application handles licenses and regulatory obligations for consumer financial services clients, with dashboards and checklists to help clients navigate licensing requirements and filing deadlines for each state. The application is run by a team of lawyers who respond to any legal queries from clients.

“I am thrilled to join Greenberg Traurig’s well-established financial regulatory and compliance team,” Lanham said. “With a strong presence in the financial services market, its global platform, and commitment to entrepreneurship, Greenberg Traurig was the ideal place to grow my practice and expand the services that I can provide clients. I also look forward to working with Marina to expand the capabilities of the technology application to serve a broader group of clients.”

Lanham will represent clients globally, working from the firm’s New York and Miami offices. She is admitted to practice in New York and Pennsylvania, and not admitted to practice in Florida. Lanham earned her J.D., cum laude, from the University of Miami and her A.A.S., B.A. from New York University.

Greenberg Traurig’s Corporate Practice comprises more than 600 lawyers in the United States, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America who regularly advise public and privately held companies, entrepreneurs and investment funds on global mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructurings, private equity and venture capital, underwritten and syndicated offerings, commercial finance and syndicated lending, cross-border transactions, and general corporate matters. The group’s industry experience includes transactions in a wide range of fields, from the pharmaceutical, medical devices, and life sciences fields, to representations involving clients in the aviation, banking, consumer products, energy, food and beverage, health care, manufacturing, media, technology, and telecommunications sectors.

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01
Feb, 2024

By Nikki Cabus

Archer Aviation and Atlantic Aviation Align to Pursue Development of Electric Aircraft Infrastructure in South Florida and Across the US

Read Time 3 Minutes

Archer Aviation Inc. (NYSE: ACHR) and Atlantic Aviation announced the recent signing of an MOU focused on establishing sites for electric aircraft operations in mulitiple metropolitan areas including South Florida.

Archer Aviation is designing and developing electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft for use in urban air mobility networks. Archer’s mission is to unlock the skies, freeing everyone to reimagine how they move and spend time. Although Archer’s team is based in Santa Clara, CA, they have close ties to the South Florida region.

Atlantic Aviation offers customers more than 100 Fixed Base Operations (FBO) locations across North America – and includes locations in Hawaii and the Caribbean. Atlantic Aviation’s facilities each provide a full suite of critical services to the business aviation sector covering a wide range of aircraft ground handling and corporate flight support, including fueling and line services, ground transportation, catering, hangar, deicing, and ramp space.

Archer and Atlantic Aviation plan to electrify several of Atlantic Aviation’s existing aviation assets to support future electric aircraft operations, including Archer’s Midnight air taxi, at Atlantic Aviation locations across four key launch markets: Los Angeles,  New York City,  Northern California and South Florida.

The companies plan to leverage the parties’ existing relationships with BETA Technologies to install BETA’s interoperable rapid recharging systems. BETA’s chargers utilize the Combined Charging System (CCS) that was recently endorsed by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and is being utilized by several top original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) across the industry.

Atlantic and Archer anticipate launch of service across these initial locations in 2025 and subsequent expansion of services to other locations across Atlantic Aviation’s significant portfolio as availability of Archer’s aircraft scales. Together, Archer and Atlantic Aviation will be leaders in defining the infrastructure experience for the electric aircraft industry, offering premium experiences for customers.

“We are excited to work with Atlantic to help electrify their vast portfolio of high-value aviation assets in America’s most congested cities including the New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and San Francisco markets,” said Nikhil Goel, Archer’s Chief Commercial Officer. “These initial eVTOL vertiport locations will provide a launching pad for future expansion across Atlantic’s portfolio and ensure that our Midnight aircraft has safe, centrally located landing facilities for our future passengers.”

John Redcay, Atlantic Aviation Chief Commercial and Sustainability Officer, said: “We are impressed with Archer’s technology and suite of world-class partners including United Airlines; we are excited to work together to electrify our aviation assets to enable quiet and sustainable urban air travel in cities across the U.S.”

Archer’s goal is to transform urban travel, replacing 60- to 90-minute commutes by car with estimated 10- to 20-minute electric air taxi flights that are safe, sustainable, low noise, and cost-competitive with ground transportation. Archer’s Midnight is a piloted, four-passenger aircraft designed to perform rapid back-to-back flights with minimal charge time in between flights.

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01
Feb, 2024

By Nikki Cabus

Break Through Tech at FIU places 25 interns at American Express

Read Time 3 Minutes

Barbarella Castillo graduated from a private university shortly after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. She had plans to pursue medical school but, like the rest of the world, she put those on hold. After re-evaluating her options, she decided to pursue her interest in computing and enrolled in the Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences at FIU’s College of Engineering and Computing. 

“It was an excellent decision,” says Castillo, who in 2023 graduated from FIU with a second bachelor’s degree and a full-time job waiting for her at American Express. She landed the position with the help of a unique three-week internship facilitated by Break Through Tech Miami.

American Express Vice President of Technology Donna Peters, who hosted some of the interns, says partnering with programs like Break Through Tech, which is designed to increase female employment in technology, helps support American Express’s goal of embracing diversity to fuel creativity and innovation.

“We firmly believe that innovation thrives on diverse skillsets, backgrounds, and experiences,” says Peters. “What is most satisfying for me is witnessing the “aha” moments when the pieces of the puzzle come together, and student learnings come to life.”

“Sprinternships,” as they are called, are micro-internships designed to bridge the gap between academia and industry. Unlike traditional internships, they don’t require students to ace a technical interview as a prerequisite. This removes one of the most common stumbling blocks for students attempting to enter the workforce, says Director of Break Through Tech Miami Nimmi Arunachalam.

“Hiring managers can get a better sense for a student’s long-term potential by seeing them perform in a natural environment rather than in a hypothetical, problem-solving scenario in front of a whiteboard, like what is typically presented in a traditional tech interview,” Arunachalam said. “Evaluating students in an organic setting, where they work on a team and solve a challenging project, could be a better way of predicting future performance and fit.”

Twenty-five students participating in the inaugural cohort received either a job offer or an internship offer from American Express.

FIU’s “Sprinterns” are going places.For many of the students, the experience was their first interaction with an employer in the tech industry. They took on projects of business value and, at the end of three weeks, presented their work to American Express leadership.Neica Sainvilus, a first-generation college student who will graduate in the summer of 2024 with her bachelor’s in computer science, worked on a coding project with a team at American Express.

“The time went so fast,” she says, “And we all learned so much. We were using a programming language we weren’t familiar with, but our mentors were all very helpful and nice.”

At the end of three weeks, Sainvilus was offered a full-time job at American Express.

“I’m really excited,” says Sainvilus, who will join the company in October of 2024.

Computer science major Vanessa Riera, who received an offer of a traditional 10-week internship at American Express, was impressed by the effort that the employees made to ensure she was learning new skills.

“We had conversations with the senior engineer of our team who asked us about how we felt about our work and wanted to know how we were progressing in our knowledge,” she says. “They were also interested in our opinions of the company and the work environment.

Arunachalam hopes that more employers will consider hosting such micro-internships

“I hope that the tech industry will continue to see the strong, agile and diverse tech community that is growing here. We are firmly committed to helping students succeed and finding partners who will help us bridge the gap between academia and industry,” Arunachalam says.

The Knight School currently ranks No. 1 in the nation for awarding computer science degrees to Hispanic students. Break Through Tech is designed to propel students typically underrepresented in computing consider careers in technology. FIU was established as the Break Through Tech Miami site in 2021.

 

Posted with permission from Break Through Tech Miami

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01
Feb, 2024

By Nikki Cabus

Research Park at Florida Atlantic Elects 2024 Officers; Vote Marks First Time an FAU President is Chair Since 1985

Read Time 4 Minutes

The Research Park at Florida Atlantic University® is pleased to announce the election of Stacy Volnick, Ph.D., FAU President, and Imran Siddiqui, JD as chair and vice chair of the Florida Atlantic Research and Development Authority (the Authority), respectively, for 2024.

The Research Park at Florida Atlantic is governed by the seven-member Authority, an independent special district which supports and promotes research and development in affiliation with and related to Florida Atlantic. It fosters technology-based economic development in both Palm Beach and Broward counties. The Research Park at FAU is widely regarded as South Florida’s laboratory for new entrepreneurial ideas and technologies.

Established in 1985, Research Park at Florida Atlantic University® is a 70-acre destination for R&D companies and home to technology and research-based organizations working to support the research and development activities of Florida Atlantic University and to foster economic development and broaden the economic base of Broward and Palm Beach counties. The Research Park at FAU hosts Global Ventures, an international soft-landing center for second-stage technology companies and Florida Atlantic Tech Runway, a hub to accelerate technology development and incubate startup companies.

The Research Park at FAU is governed by the Florida Atlantic Research and Development Authority, an independent special district created by Palm Beach and Broward counties in partnership with Florida Atlantic University, organized under Chapter 159, Part V, Florida Statues. (www.research-park.org)

In their leadership roles, Chair Volnick and Vice Chair Siddiqui will work closely with the members of the Authority and executive management to continue the Research Park’s mission of promoting research and economic development in South Florida, and to complete the execution of the Research Park’s 2023-2025 strategic plan.

“The work of the Research Park at Florida Atlantic has a significant impact on both the University and its surrounding communities,” said Volnick. “I am proud to lead its governing authority this year as we continue to advance its mission for the benefit of our entire region.”

President Volnick became a member of the university’s administrative staff in 1991, advancing steadily through the ranks. In 2013, she became vice president for administrative affairs and chief administrative officer, and more recently, she was promoted to chief operating officer. A three-time alumna, she earned a doctorate and master’s degree in educational leadership from FAU’s College of Education, as well as a bachelor’s degree in communication from the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters. Appropriately, her doctoral dissertation addressed the challenges facing women college presidents. Dr. Volnick joined the Authority in 2022.

Siddiqui, also a Florida Atlantic graduate, is a dynamic leader with a rich track record in law, civic engagement, higher education technology and public service. Most recently, he served as the Executive Director of Tech Equity Miami, leading a $100 million funding consortium dedicated to promoting equity in the tech industry. Before that role, he served as an Associate Vice President at Broward College where he launched Employment Solutions, a new division dedicated to corporate partnerships and job placement initiatives. Mr. Siddiqui was appointed to the Authority by Commissioner Marci Woodward and the Palm Beach County Commission in 2023.

“I am truly honored and humbled to accept the nomination for the position of Vice Chair at an exciting time not only for the Research Park but for Florida Atlantic University as a whole,” commented Imran Siddiqui. “Working under the leadership of our new chair, President Stacy Volnick is an exciting prospect, and I am eager to contribute to our shared vision for advancing research and development initiatives.”

Membership of the Authority is made up of private sector appointees by the Broward County Commission and the Palm Beach County Commission, each appointing three members. FAU’s president, or designee, rounds out the membership total of seven.

“We are thrilled to have President Volnick and Mr. Siddiqui step up and be elected to lead the Research Park at Florida Atlantic at this important time,” said Andrew Duffell, president of the Research Park. “Their leadership and expertise will be invaluable as we drive innovation and collaboration between the companies based in the Research Park and the research faculty and students at Florida Atlantic. I look forward to working with both of them to achieve our goals and support economic growth in our region.”

For more information about the Research Park at Florida Atlantic, visit www.Research-Park.org.

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19
Jan, 2024

By Nikki Cabus

The Boca Raton Innovation Campus announces six new lease agreements

Read Time 4 Minutes

CP Group, Florida’s largest office landlord and a prominent owner-operator of office properties throughout the Sunbelt, announced six new leasing agreements at Boca Raton Innovation Campus (BRiC) — its fast-growing, 1.7-million-square-foot technology and life sciences hub in Boca Raton, Florida.

Designed by Marcel Breuer, the campus was originally built in 1969 for IBM and is home to the invention of the first personal computer. The campus was acquired by CP Group in 2018 with the vision of building off BRiC’s history and evolving the campus into a science and technology hub. An ideal landing spot for companies with large footprints, BRiC is currently home to 18 national headquarters and 19 regional offices, including Kroger, Modernizing Medicine, Canon, and Bluegreen Vacations.

As the state’s largest single-office complex, BRiC has historically attracted companies with large footprints. However, throughout its renovation process, CP Group has pivoted its strategy to attract startups and growing companies seeking modern amenities and a holistic workplace ecosystem in the technology and life science spaces.

CP Group’s executed deals include four new tenants and two lease renewals, one with an expansion, all signed during the initial phase of the spec suites’ construction at BRiC. The four incoming tenants are relocating from other office locations within Boca Raton.

  • Engineering Express, a structural engineering firm.
  • Hollywood.com, an entertainment company. CBRE’s Will Morrison represented the tenant.
  • LandAirSea (LAS), a GPS tracking system manufacturer. Posh Realty’s Anthony Villagi represented the tenant.
  • MODE Architects, a full-service architecture and design firm
  • EdgeMed, a revenue cycle management platform for medical organizations, renewed its lease and signed for a new spec suite. Stagman Commercial Realty’s Jason Stagman represented the tenant.
  • Orchid Bay Financial Holdings, an investment firm, renewed its lease and expanded its footprint at the property to a new spec suite.

“LandAirSea is thrilled to be moving into our new home at BRiC. BRiC offers us a combination of amenities, convenience, and comfort that not only makes us excited but impresses our clients and, importantly, our new Florida employees. As we think about enrolling team members in the idea of coming ‘back to work,’ a big part of it is providing a safe, comfortable, and inspiring place for them to collaborate, create, and innovate,” said Greg Jacobson, CEO of LAS. “For us, there was nothing else that even came close to providing this environment, and new hires, vendors, and customers that are touring the facility are telling us we got it right.”

Jeff Kelly of CBRE represented the landlord in all six transactions. The tenants will begin occupying their respective spaces early this year, and construction on additional spec suites will start sometime in 2024.

The spec suites are part of CP Group’s portfolio-wide ‘worCPlaces’ flexible workspace offering. Within the “Spec Places” service offering, CP Group designs customized suites to meet the needs of companies seeking move-in ready, yet scalable, office environments for evolving teams.

“We are continuing to see an influx of cutting-edge companies flocking to South Florida in search of flexible, yet turnkey, workspaces to meet the needs of their employees,” said Michael Perrette, General Manager for BRiC. “BRiC is meeting this demand and sustaining the property’s legacy of innovation by cultivating state-of-the-art office environments with top-tier amenities that empower our tenants to lead their respective industries.”

The former IBM research and development facility is undergoing a $100 million capital improvement program to transform into an amenity-rich campus. BRiC completed many of these amenities last year, including an on-site wellness center run by Boca Raton Regional Hospital, coffee shop Java, an autonomous grab-and-go store called Bits, a revitalized dining hall, and flex space for events and presentations for up to 1,000 people, two fitness studios; on-site bike storage; and a parking garage with 1,300 spaces and a covered top deck with the flexibility to add solar panels. These renovations awarded BRiC South Florida Business Journal’s 2023 Structure Award for Best Reuse/Rehab Project. Further planned renovations include a new main entrance and porte-cochere with a secondary ring road and a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) lab, among others.

Other amenities currently available to BRiC’s office tenants include a fitness center; onsite daycare; outdoor courtyards; running and biking trails; and abundant displays of art as part of its Art on BRiC Walls program, including an NFT exhibit and “Rocket” — a 30-foot-tall, mirrored stainless-steel outdoor sculpture by artist Hubert Phipps.

CP Group also recently received approval from the City of Boca Raton to rezone BRiC for the development of a planned +/- 1,250 residential units; 125,000 square feet of retail, restaurants, grocery stores, and entertainment; a 150-room hotel; a 4,000-seat live concert venue; an accredited daycare and afterschool childcare center; and several parking garages. These rezoning permits allow BRiC to be open to the public seven days a week, and their new event and presentation hall is already slated to host large-scale meetings, galas, student testing, weddings, and even TedXBocaRaton.

BRiC’s mid-century modern aesthetic and superior location between two I-95 exits — adjacent to a Tri-Rail station and proximity to two major airports — offer ideal conditions for the complex to transform into a ‘town center’ integrated into the social fabric of Boca Raton.

Check out the Boca Raton Innovation Campus website here.

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19
Jan, 2024

By Nikki Cabus

Guest Blog: Digital Transformation South Florida Style at TECHpalooza

Read Time 3 Minutes

I was privileged to be invited to participate on a panel for the CIO Breakfast as part of the recent TECHpalooza event here in South Florida (Ft. Lauderdale to be exact). The panel was entitled, “The Future of the AI Revolution.”

I must admit I had modest hopes for the discussion taking place at the ungodly hour of 7am, but I was pleasantly surprised – not only with the sophistication and maturity of the state of digital transformation at the companies represented on the panel, but equally so by the companies represented in the audience.

Having lived in South Florida for almost 22 years now, I have come to accept that this isn’t Silicon Valley, Boston, Austin or any of the other hot tech markets. However, due to Covid, digital nomads and the hard work of local organizations like Tech Hub South Florida, that isn’t the case anymore.

There is a vibrant tech scene stretching from Miami, past Ft. Lauderdale and all the way up to Northern Palm Beach County – and even beyond.

Besides myself, on the panel was Michael Fowler, who is a VP and business unit CIO at Florida Power and Light (FPL), Sam Jaddi, SVP and CIO at ADT, Caroline Roche, VP and Senior Partner IBM’s Transformation Services, and Chad Simpson, the CIO for City Furniture. The panel was moderated by Colby Brannan and Lee Buchness, senior partners at Culture Partners.

Also not able to join us, and missed, were John Machado, the CTO of UKG and Tamecka Mckay, CIO of the City of Ft. Lauderdale. The audience had an equally impressive roster of well-known brands, as well as a good mix of consultants, smaller companies and startups.  All attendees were pre-approved and had to be a CIO or of the equivalent level to attend.

Though the discussion centered primarily around how the attendees were using AI or planned on using AI in their organizations, I was struck by the state-of-the-art technology that was being used almost universally across the board. These companies were almost all hybrid cloud users, shifting more and more of their infrastructure to the cloud.

To a person, they all were deep into DevOps and Cloud Native. Because several of them were in highly regulated industries, security and compliance processes were also very sophisticated. The level of digitization of these businesses was remarkable. ADT, for instance, is looking at how the smart home of the future will function and how they can be the hub of that. FPL is extremely forward thinking in communication with their customers via an app and being able to monitor their grid using every technology within their reach. Even City Furniture is digital first, with supply, shopping and delivery services all highly automated and digital.

We tend to think of our local companies, as just that – local. But hearing how they have transformed in the last few years and what their plans are to harness AI and other technologies to become the providers of tomorrow was extremely uplifting. The panel ran for near 90 minutes, as the standing room only audience would not let us off the stage.

Many members of the audience shared their own transformation stories with us. One interesting fact shared was that near 75% of the audience was already using gen AI in their business. Near 100% were well ahead on their digital transformation journeys. Another surprise for me was that their budgets for these initiatives were full speed ahead. I deal so much with tech tool vendors and venture backed companies that I have become used to hearing about budget cuts and delays on projects; but these participants whose companies are not generally thought of as “tech companies” were full speed ahead on their transformations.

We should remember that in the tech world. There is a big economy out there of companies doing exciting things around transformation. More than that, they are really jazzed about what else is coming down the pike and what that can mean as they seek to transform the very fabric of our day-to-day lives – not just in South Florida, but in the entire US and the world beyond that.

Shout out to the South Florida Tech Hub folks for putting on an amazing event.

 

Posted with permission from TechStrong Group and Digital CXO. Visit their website here.

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19
Jan, 2024

By Nikki Cabus

Carrier Announces Agreement to Sell Global Access Solutions Business to Honeywell for $5 Billion

Read Time 2 Minutes

Carrier Global Corporation (NYSE: CARR) entered into a definitive agreement to sell its security business, Global Access Solutions, which includes the industry-leading brands of LenelS2, Supra and Onity, to Honeywell (NASDAQ: HON) for an enterprise value of $4.95 billion, which represents approximately 17x 2023 expected EBITDA.

Carrier Global Corporation, global leader in intelligent climate and energy solutions, is committed to creating solutions that matter for people and our planet for generations to come. From the beginning, the have led in inventing new technologies and entirely new industries. Today, Carrier continues to lead a world-class, diverse workforce.

With approximately 1,200 employees operating in 33 countries, Carrier’s Global Access Solutions business is an innovative global leader in advanced access and security solutions, electronic locking systems, and contactless mobile key solutions. This pending sale will allow the business to build on the strength of its leading brands, innovative solutions, strong partner relationships and high growth potential.

“Global Access Solutions is a great business with dedicated, customer-focused teams, and we look forward to watching its continued growth under the ownership of Honeywell,” said Carrier Chairman & CEO David Gitlin. “The transaction, together with the planned exits of our Industrial Fire, Residential and Commercial Fire, and Commercial Refrigeration cabinet businesses, will accelerate our growth strategy and focus, positioning Carrier to deliver higher growth and superior shareholder value and further reinforcing our track record of performing while transforming.”

Carrier expects net proceeds from the transaction to be approximately $4 billion and intends to use the proceeds to pay down debt. The company anticipates resuming share repurchases as soon as its net leverage returns to approximately 2x EBITDA. Carrier expects to classify the Global Access Solutions business as “held for sale” on the balance sheet, but the results will remain in continuing operations until the sale closes.

The proposed sale is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. It is expected to close before the end of Q3 2024.

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC are serving as financial advisor to Carrier. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP and Linklaters LLP are providing external legal counsel.

The sale agreement is a successful first step in Carrier’s portfolio transformation.

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19
Jan, 2024

By Nikki Cabus

Delray Beach-based Cyrno Therapeutics secures funding for smell loss treatment

Read Time 3 Minutes

Cyrano Therapeutics, Inc. announced that it has secured a $9.0 million Series B financing to advance the development of CYR-064 as a potential first-ever treatment for post-viral smell loss.

Hyposmia, including post-viral hyposmia, is an increasingly prevalent and serious chronic sensory condition for which there is no approved drug therapy and limited treatment options. Hyposmia causes significant impairment in quality of life for many sufferers. Moreover, in older individuals, hyposmia is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment and mortality. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, an estimated 8 million individuals in the US and Europe suffered from long-term post-viral hyposmia. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in dramatically increased prevalence, with an estimated 40 million individuals in the US and Europe currently suffering from long-term post-viral hyposmia.

Delray Beach-based Cyrano Therapeutics is a private, venture-backed clinical stage regenerative medicine company. Since their foundation, the company has been working diligently to develop therapies for people struggling with the loss of smell (hyposmia) and taste.

Co-lead investors participating in the financing include the Florida Opportunity Fund managed by DeepWork Capital and existing investors Lumira Ventures and Remiges Ventures.

DeepWork Capital invests professionally managed committed venture capital in growth-oriented, early-stage companies in the technology and life science sectors. They partner with visionary entrepreneurs building disruptive companies and work closely with other investment groups taking a hands-on approach with its portfolio companies

Cyrano intends to use the proceeds from its Series B financing to advance FLAVOR, its Phase 2, double-blind, randomized clinical trial of CYR-064, an intranasal theophylline spray therapy to treat patients who have lost their sense of smell following recovery from a viral infection. The FLAVOR Phase 2 trial will be conducted at up to 15 sites in the US and the Series B financing is to fund the trial through data readout.

According to Cyrano’s website, “The Cyrano team has developed a unique, proprietary intranasal product to restore function in patients with a chronic loss of taste and smell. This is a condition affecting at least 14 million people in the US and a similar number in Europe, having a significant impact on safety, quality of life and well-being. Currently no marketed therapy exists and aside from the Cyrano product, none are in the pipeline. Cyrano has established the IP estate with the assistance of Wilson Sonsini. Key patents have been issued.”

“This Series B financing enables us to advance what we believe to be a first-of-its-kind treatment for patients suffering from long-term smell loss due to a viral infection,” said Rick Geoffrion, President and CEO of Cyrano Therapeutics, Inc. “Smell loss correlates to functional loss of taste, which can both diminish quality of life and present significant health and safety risks, thus underscoring the urgency in advancing this important therapeutic. We also plan to conduct exploratory research for patients with Parkinson’s disease, 95 percent of whom often experience loss of smell and flavor as the first symptom of the disease.”

Jackson Streeter, MD, Venture Partner at DeepWork Capital, stated: “Cyrano Therapeutics represents an important investment for DeepWork and the Florida Opportunity Fund as we seek to identify and cultivate emerging biotechnology companies in Florida that combine executive and scientific expertise with therapeutic opportunities that offer the potential to address significant, unmet medical needs. We look forward to supporting the entire Cyrano team as the company advances CYR-064 through the FLAVOR Phase 2 trial.”

The number of patients experiencing long-term smell and flavor loss has increased 10-fold in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic to more than 40 million patients in the US and Europe. Thirty percent of those suffering from smell loss will experience a hazardous event such as food poisoning or the inability to detect hazardous fumes. There is currently no FDA-approved drug therapy to treat smell loss from any cause.

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