South Florida Tech HubSouth Florida Tech Hub
19
Jan, 2021

By Nikki Cabus

Moving Minds | Minnesota to South Florida

Read Time 5 Minutes

Lou Hughes, CEO of Moving Minds, and his wife, Kathryn Hughes had been traveling from Minnesota to South Florida for years on vacation. Moving Minds is an on-demand marketing and technology agency that opened in 2006 and includes Fortune 500 companies and others such Caremark Rx, Fannie Mae, Siemens, Citi, and MasterCard.

In early January 2020, Lou became an individual member with Palm Beach Tech. He soon realized that the region had more to offer than beautiful beaches, great restaurants, and outdoor activities in the sun- although those are wonderful perks!

After introducing Jupiter Medical Center, one of Moving Minds’ clients, to Palm Beach Tech and seeing the thriving business and tech community in the Palm Beaches, Lou was intrigued. With the support from some other wonderful organizations, the agency decided to have Moving Minds join as a corporate member and look into moving his business to the area in order to take advantage of marketing and tech talent in the area.

 

Moving Minds celebrated the relocation of their global headquarters to South Florida in December 2020 with fantastic ribbon-cutting ceremony in downtown West Palm Beach’s Rosemary Square.

They were joined by the City of West Palm Beach’s Mayor Keith James, Kelly Smallridge from the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County, Kelly Fanelli from the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches, and Nikki Cabus and Joe Russo from Palm Beach Tech.

 

 

Nikki Cabus, VP at Palm Beach Tech, was able to catch up with Lou to get some insight on the big  decision to move to South Florida. 

 

  • What was the number one thing that caught your attention about South Florida?
We’ve been coming to Palm Beach County for years for vacation, and then it occurred to us, why in the world is our marketing + tech agency headquartered somewhere else?
And then, when we started exploring the area we realized that Palm Beach County and South Florida is home to one of the fastest-growing technology and venture start-up communities in the country.
 
  • Why did you choose South Florida over areas like New York City, Austin, The Bay Area, etc.? 
I am from San Francisco. I went to college at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. And I’ve had opportunities to move back home over the years, but South Florida and Palm Beach County offer a wonderful combination of low taxes and cost of living, but also provide a wonderful lifestyle for individuals and families. You have access to a wealth of cultural activities and amenities, including world-class dining, entertainment and beaches, but in a more livable, intimate setting. In West Palm Beach, we can get to the airport, sports events, museums, shopping in literally 5 to 10 minutes whereas before, we had to travel an hour and fifteen minutes to access the same amenities. It’s a no brainer.
The other primary reason for Moving Minds to relocate was the access to a larger, more qualified talent pool of technology, marketing, and creative personnel that we need to grow our agency and meet our client’s increasing demand for integrated, multi-channel marketing and growth capabilities.
 
  • Who were some of the organizations you partnered with who made the move happen?
One of the first organizations we reached out to was Palm Beach Tech. Palm Beach Tech’s existence validated our thinking that Palm Beach County had a vibrant community of technology companies and personnel that we wanted to be a part of. There is a vibe and sense of growth and momentum that Palm Beach County has that was intangible, but definitely could be felt.
The other organization that has been instrumental in our relocation was the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County. Both pre-relocation and post-relocation, their team and support we have received have been tremendous. They have been very active partners in helping us integrate with the business community, facilitating introductions to other companies through their membership program.
 
  • What has it been like so far for you? (personally, the culture here, etc.)
We have been blown away by the reception we have had and the support we have received from Palm Beach Tech, The Business Development Board, the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches, Discover the Palm Beaches even the Mayor of West Palm Beach’s Office.
We have been received with open arms. There is a warmth to the people here; it’s a welcoming place both professionally and personally. West Palm Beach is a great and growing city, but it’s not overwhelming like New York, San Francisco, or Los Angeles, but a smaller, closer, and more intimate community. It’s the perfect size in that you have the city, the beaches, and access to great dining, museums, performing arts, sports, and business amenities such as sizable conference centers and other intimate settings for as The Breakers resort for hosting clients from all over the world.
Palm Beach County is also an instantly recognizable and destination business address. When you say your company is based in the Palm Beach area, it has a certain cache, and everyone knows where it is. We have many clients who prefer to meet with us here in Palm Beach rather than having us come to their offices because they know how much there is to do and what a great place to vacation it is after our meetings are done.
  • Summarize Moving Minds and what the company does in 5 sentences or less. 
Moving Minds is an award-winning on-demand marketing+technology agency enabling forward-thinking companies to get to market faster and smarter with ‘Growth as a Managed Service,’ a fractional, more agile #martech model designed for CXOs.
From early-stage venture-backed start-ups to the Fortune 500, companies rely on Moving Minds as a dedicated partner for driving growth and outsourcing their multi-channel marketing and tech programs. Moving Minds’ global team brings a diverse range of skills on demand, faster than internal resources associated with recruiting, hiring, and retaining a multi-channel marketing department, and at a fraction of the cost of full-time employees.
Moving Minds serves a global roster of clients in technology, healthcare, financial services, and digital services, including Siemens, Citi, Schweiger Dermatology, MasterCard, HealthSouth, Axogen, and Norwest Venture Partners.
  • What do your growth plans look like over the next 2 years?
We plan to double our marketing + tech agency’s size over the next two to three years. Founded in 2006, our agency has been a virtual company from the start because of our lack of proximity to marketing talent and a more vibrant business community. But being headquartered in Palm Beach County and South Florida open up so many opportunities for us, not only in assembling and accessing an intelligent high educated workforce, but proving access to a vibrant business community of prospective clients in all types of industries.
  • What would you tell another CEO about the area that you wish somebody had told you sooner?
We’ve been visiting Palm Beach for many, many years for vacation. It’s our favorite place in the world to be. One day the light went off while visiting, and we said to ourselves, what are we doing? If we love living here so much, let’s relocate our agency. When we reached out to Palm Beach Tech and the Business Development Board, it opened our eyes to the opportunities for us to grow and prospect in a super-friendly business environment at all levels; local, county, regional, and state.
And we’ve been thrilled with our decision. We wish we had decided to relocate10 years ago, so we are making up the time we missed as fast as we can.
From a business and personal perspective, South Florida and Palm Beach County, in particular, is where you want to be.
Want to learn more about Moving Minds? Check them out at www.movingminds.io
26
Feb, 2020

By Nancy Dahlberg

SMArtX Advisory Solutions Raises $4 Million

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SMArtX Advisory Solutions, a West Palm Beach-based leader in managed accounts technology and turnkey asset management platforms, known as TAMPS, announced it has closed a $4 million equity financing round.  The financing was led by ManchesterStory Group, a venture firm focused on fintech, and included existing investors including IA Capital Group.

With this round of funding, SMArtX will expand upon its tools for Registered Investment Advisors and Independent Broker/Dealers to develop solutions for enterprise customers looking to provide their own proprietary managed accounts programs to financial advisors.

 

“We believe our technology can have a far-reaching impact on global wealth management practices, and we’re excited to have earned the support of ManchesterStory Group and our existing partners to help finance these initiatives,” said CEO Evan Rapoport in making the announcement.

SMArtX has continued to expand its in-house built technology stack by expanding the features of its platform, the company said.  SMArtX Advisory Solutions is a proprietary managed accounts technology provider and manages SMArtX, an asset management platform which offers traditional, alternative, and passive direct index strategies in a unified managed account structure. The firm also uses its proprietary trading and managed accounts technology to power SS&C Advent’s integrated unified managed account solution.

“Managed accounts are migrating from off the shelf TAMPs to fully customized, bespoke platforms.  SMArtX’s technological flexibility and APIs provide a clear pathway to meeting client demand now and in the future,” said Michael Finnegan, director of Research at ManchesterStory Group.

18
Oct, 2019

By Nancy Dahlberg

SBA National SBIR Road Tour coming to South Florida

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Want to connect with the government’s largest source of grant funding for innovative early-stage small businesses in technology or the sciences? Here’s your chance.

The Small Business Administration’s National SBIR Road Tour is coming to Miami, and you’re invited to attend. Representatives of 12 federal agencies that award SBIR/STTR grants will be on hand.

The tour is being hosted by U Innovation at the University of Miami on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019. It will connect entrepreneurs working on advanced technology to the country’s largest source of early-stage funding — the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. The SBIR and STTR programs, which focus on next-generation research and development, provide more than $3 billion in early-stage funding to small businesses each year and execute more than 5,000 new awards annually.

If you’re an entrepreneur, researcher or a small business in fields such as advanced technology, life sciences, energy or aerospace, don’t miss this opportunity.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Program managers from 12 participating federal agencies will conduct one-on-one meetings, take part in targeted panels, discuss technology areas, and share insights into how the agencies make funding decisions. After registering, attendees will be contacted via email about scheduling one-on-one meetings with agency representatives.

THE AGENDA

  • 7:00 a.m. – Registration, networking, continental breakfast
  • 8:00 – Introductions
  • 8:15 – SBIR/STTR overview
  • 8:45 – Five-minute reverse pitches from agencies
  • 9:45 – SBA and federal agency talks and panels
  • 12:30 – Lunch (provided with registration)
  • 1:30 – Opportunity zones and your company: How and why to take advantage of opportunity zones to spur investment into your company

Simultaneous one-on-one meetings will occur from 8:00 to 12:30 with agency representatives.

Federal agencies confirmed to attend: Department of Health and Human Services – National Institutes of Health (NIH);  National Science Foundation (NSF); National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); Department of Energy (DOE); Department of Homeland Security (DHS); Department of Transportation (DOT); Department of Defense – Air Force (USAF); Department of Defense – Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA); Department of Defense – Missile Defense Agency (MDA); Department of Defense – Navy (DON); Department of Defense – Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA); Department of Defense – Special Operations Command (SOCOM).

For more information, visit www.sbirroadtour.com.

31
Jul, 2019

By Nancy Dahlberg

Dedicated IT and PeakActivity named Florida Companies to Watch

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Dedicated IT and PeakActivity were selected from more than 500 nominations as premier Florida companies expected to see significant growth over the next several years.

Grow FL Executive Director, Tom O’Neal

The tech companies, both based in Palm Beach County, were named to Florida Companies to Watch, a statewide program honoring 50 top companies. Their management teams, competitive market positions and strong community involvement were among factors that put the companies in contention for the award.

“These stand-out companies are all led by entrepreneurs and have demonstrated their capacity and intent to grow,” said Dr. Tom O’Neal, executive director of GrowFL, a statewide economic development organization focused on second-stage companies.  “They also all have critical intellectual property or a niche position that gives them a competitive edge in their markets.”

Dedicated IT Founder & CEO, Adam Steinhoff

Dedicated IT, based in Palm Beach Gardens and founded by Adam Steinhoff, is an IT services company specializing in serving small and mid-sized businesses to enterprises. It focuses on select industries, in order to make its sales and marketing efforts as impactful as possible while bringing deeper knowledge and more efficiency to clients it services. In the past year, the company has aggressively expanded its sales and marketing efforts beyond Florida.

Dedicated IT was founded in 2002, and it would be easy to rest on its laurels. Not Dedicated IT. In the past year, the company launched a sales and internship program in partnership with UCF. It has centralized its service desk, allowing for better training when on boarding new employees, resulting in work efficiencies and “all while improving our customer service,” said Steinhoff. The company has also decided to partner with just a core group of vendors to increase efficiencies and improve service. “Because of this, we have been nationally recognized by Microsoft and Cisco as staple vendors who are going viral with our growth.”

Today, Dedicated IT has 39 employees, with plans to add 19 through acquisitions and another 12 in the next year. During the hiring process, Dedicated IT looks for specific values in candidates – optimism, relentlessness, charisma, passion and a thirst for growth.

Revenues increased by 30% in the past year and the company has clients in 48 states. Dedicated IT’s goal, said Steinhoff, is to be generating $100 million in revenue by 2025.

PeakActivity Founder & CEO, Manish Hirapara

PeakActivity is a technology solutions firm that partners with enterprises to drive digital results, said Scott Townsend, vice president of PeakActivity. Founded in early 2016 and based in Boyton Beach, PeakActivity has 75 employees and its CEO is Manish Hirapara.

Clients include City Furniture, Total Wine and More and Johnson Controls. PeakActivity is taking the furniture retailer off of its legacy e-commerce platform and putting it onto a next generation e-commerce system built by PeakActivity. The team built out Total Wine and More’s technology innovation center in Boynton Beach and now is helping the company develop mobile and cloud solutions for their customers. For Johnson Controls, which was previously all B2B, “we put together an e-commerce strategy for them and we provided a team of e-commerce experts. We have started building all their direct-to-consumer websites globally,” Townsend said.

PeakActivity closed 2017 with 7 employees and $1 million in revenue. In 2018 it surpassed $5 million in revenue with approximately 40 team members. “We are currently on pace to exceed $8 million and grow to over 75 team members in 2019,” Townsend said.

“We developed and are about to deploy a next-generation e-commerce platform solution as well as a mobile app solution. We are building out some pretty cool technologies and we are continuing to on-board great clients,” Townsend said.

Palm Beach Tech President & CEO, Joe Russo

“We were proud to nominate Dedicated IT and PeakActivity, both of which have grown their high quality teams exponentially over the past years here in the Palm Beaches,” said Joe Russo, President and CEO of Palm Beach Tech Association.

The 50 companies named the 2019 Florida Companies to Watch generated nearly $1 billion in revenue and added over 900 jobs between 2015 and 2018. Together, the companies project a 35 percent increase in revenue and 37 percent increase in job growth in 2019 compared to 2018.

 “This list recognizes second-stage Florida companies with passionate leaders who are making a difference in growing and diversifying our economy,” said Jennifer Barrows, GrowFL Chairman of the GrowFL Advisory Board and Business Development Executive with WithumSmith+Brown, PC.  Second-stage companies are defined as those with 6 to 150 full-time employees and between $750,000 and $100 million in annual revenue, she said.

Dedicated IT, PeakActivity and the other companies named to the list will be officially recognized November 14, 2019 at a special ceremony at the Hard Rock Live in Orlando. Florida Companies to Watch is a statewide program managed by economic development organization GrowFL, in association with the Edward Lowe Foundation.  

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08
Jan, 2019

By Nikki Cabus

Innovative Architects acquired by Dallas based Improving

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Improving has acquired Innovative Architects, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia with satellite offices in Washington D.C. and West Palm Beach, Florida. The transaction is expected to increase Improving’s annualized revenue by more than 30% in 2019, making Improving’s collective revenue close to $100 million.

This transaction successfully continues Improving’s “Enterprise Strategy,” an innovative business model that focuses on merging technology service companies that share a commitment to building trust, delivering excellence, and cultivating culture. This model combines localized incentives and ownership behavior with geographically leveraged service offerings. Innovative Architects’ leadership team will continue operating and growing the business, while contributing to Improving’s sustained success across North America. Innovative Architects joins Improving as its seventh enterprise location and will expand its geographic reach to the Southeastern United States.

“The mutual benefits of joining forces with businesses that share similar company values is that it allows us to advance our ambition of building a company that has a lasting impact in the technology community,” states Curtis Hite, CEO of Improving.

“The mutual benefits of joining forces with businesses that share similar company values is that it allows us to advance our ambition of building a company that has a lasting impact in the technology community,” states Curtis Hite, CEO of Improving. “Our goal is to further the success of IT organizations across the region by combining the proven performance of local teams with an increased focus on establishing stakeholder trust. Innovative Architects’ strong culture and expertise in Microsoft technologies and cloud computing will strategically accelerate our ability to accomplish these goals.”

Innovative Architects’ service offerings focus on delivering customized cloud computing business technology as well as enterprise integration and data driven IT solutions. The merger will significantly strengthen the breadth and depth of the technical consulting services and training offerings that can now be utilized across all of Improving’s markets. Innovative Architects is a Microsoft Gold-Certified Partner that provides premier, process-based business solutions.

“We are thrilled to be a part of Improving’s growth strategy,” states Scott McMichael, President of Innovative Architects. “Improving shares our values of trusted advisor-ship and a commitment to client success. We have remarkable synergies as a culture-rich organization that rewards innovation and involvement. We are looking forward to anchoring the Southeast in the national footprint of Improving to better serve our clients from both a business and technology perspective.”

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About Improving

Improving is a technology consulting, custom software solutions, and training firm focused in Agile, Microsoft (.NET) and Java technologies. In July 2018, Improving announced their partnership with private equity firm Trinity Hunt Partners. The company has an International presence with offices in Dallas, Texas; Bryan/College Station, Texas; Houston, Texas; Columbus, Ohio; Cleveland, Ohio; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Atlanta, Georgia and Calgary, Canada. To learn more about Improving, visit http://improving.com/

19
Nov, 2018

By Nikki Cabus

Arrow Digital hosts field trip for local High School Students

Read Time 2 MinutesIn October, Seminole Ridge High School Computer Science and IT students had the opportunity to make a field trip to a local software development company –  Arrow Digital in downtown West Palm Beach.

The field trip was coordinated through the courtesy of Jeremy Lawson, Platforms Manager and Maya Sanchez, Office Administrator at Arrow Digital.

The field trip was a Computer Science initiative to motivate and inspire students in the field of computing and technology, even providing them with breakfast and lunch

The students were given a tour through various departments in the company and had the opportunity to learn and discuss:

  • Nature of work at Arrow Digital and insight into what the company does and how it is important to function and collaborate as a team.
  • How the different roles and functions work together within the company and the challenges for the company in the market and challenges of the digital workforce.
  • The students had the opportunity to stop at each section to observe and interact with the members of the Developer, UX, Customer Experience and the IT team and ask questions.
  • There was a Q & A panel session to learn about UX (user Experience) in computing, programming & app development.
  • Discussion on what it’s like to work at a digital agency, securing internships, diverse jobs in the industry and interview skills
  • Required Soft Skills other than development we use every day.
  • Talk about RPA (Robotic Process Automation) and AI (Artificial Intelligence)
  • Volunteering and coding opportunities in Palm Beach.

Founded in 2005, Arrow Digital is an IP-driven, scalable custom software firm delivering business process automation, digital experience and RPA solutions and has 160 creative technologists that build enterprise custom software, cloud and RPA solutions, and provides UX services for renowned brands such as PwC, Hilton Grand Vacations, Cracker Barrel and many others.

16
Nov, 2018

By Nikki Cabus

TouchSuite launches Credit Card Processing for CBD Merchants

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TouchSuite launches Credit Card Processing for CBD Merchants

CBD Merchants in the U.S. and Canada can now process credit card payments

 

BOCA RATON, FL. Nov. 15, 2018 — TouchSuite announced today that it has begun accepting CBD merchant account applications in the U.S. and Canadian markets.  TouchSuite will underwrite merchants selling CBD products online or in a card present setting. This change comes after a thorough review and understanding of the risks associated with the industry. CBD accounts will be boarded via a domestic sponsor bank relationship. This enables TouchSuite to aggressively pursue merchants serving a hypergrowth segment.

CBD is traditionally been perceived as having legal and regulatory risks. As a result, merchants have been forced to pay exurbanite processing rates. Additionally, merchants that were early adopters in selling CBD products were forced to open off shore merchant accounts. These off-shore merchant accounts would indiscriminately raise fees, and negatively impact the cash flow cycles of business owners. As a result of today’s announcement, CBD merchants will benefit from more efficient processing rates and have access to TouchSuite’s support and operations teams.

“We are thrilled about the opportunity to help CBD merchants accept credit cards. CBD is a high growth market that is expected to grow at double digit rates in the coming decade. As CBD products transition from perceived inaccuracies to mainstream, TouchSuite is well positioned as a processing partner.” said Sam Zietz, Chief Executive Officer for TouchSuite.

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About TouchSuite: Headquartered in Boca Raton Florida, TouchSuite is a leading financial technology company that delivers business solutions for small to mid-sized companies across different industries. Offerings include point-of-sale systems, payment processing services, SEO solutions, working capital and marketing services. TouchSuite positions itself as the entrepreneur’s partner, delivering solutions that help business owners thrive within the community.

If you would like more information or to discuss an opportunity with TouchSuite, call (800) 793-3250, email info@touchsuite.com, or visit www.touchsuite.com/CBD  

 

12
Nov, 2018

By Nikki Cabus

Lynn University appoints Christian Boniforti as Chief Strategy and Technology Officer

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Boca Raton, Florida, Nov. 12, 2018 — President Kevin M. Ross announced in his annual state of the university address Nov. 8, that Christian Boniforti ’02 will become Lynn University’s first chief strategy and technology officer (CSTO).

Editors Note: Chris Boniforti also serves on the Board of Directors of the Palm Beach Tech Association.

Boniforti served as Lynn’s chief information officer for the past 12 years. As CSTO, he will focus on organizational strategy to unlock value for students and identify large-scale business and technology solutions. He will help Lynn deliver measurable, cost-effective results to make the Lynn 2025 strategy a reality.

“Chris has been instrumental in developing Lynn as a personalized and innovative institution, supporting everything from our Lynn 2025 strategic plan to mobile learning,” said President Kevin M. Ross. “This new position will better represent his growing role that impacts our university beyond information technology.”

Over the years, Boniforti has advised Lynn leadership on technology strategy and infrastructure planning, managed campus network and information services, and designed and implemented the university’s award-winning iPad learning program. He also led extensive technology preparations for the 2012 U.S. Presidential Debate, which positioned Lynn ahead of other universities and enabled it to implement innovative campus design and mobile learning opportunities.

Boniforti is a South Florida Business Journal Top CIO; earned a position on the 2014 CIO 100 list; was a 2018 South Florida Business and WealthApogee Award winner, and has been featured as a technology expert in Campus Technology magazine, EdTech Magazine, The Chronicle of Higher Education and Inside Higher Ed. He regularly speaks as a guest at educational technology presentations at national conferences including eMerge Americas, EDUCAUSE, ACUTA, UBTech and others.

Boniforti earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Lynn University. He is currently pursuing his doctorate in educational leadership and management with a concentration in creativity and innovation at Drexel University. He is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).

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About Lynn University | Lynn University is an independent college based in Boca Raton, Florida, with approximately 3,000 students from nearly 100 countries. U.S. News & World Report has named it among the most innovative and international universities. Lynn’s NCAA Division II Fighting Knights have won 24 national titles, its Conservatory of Music features a world-renowned faculty of performers, and its nationally recognized Institute for Achievement and Learning empowers students with learning differences. The school’s Dialogues curriculum and award-winning iPad program help Lynn graduates gain the intellectual flexibility and global experience to fulfill their potential in an ever-changing world. For more information, visit lynn.edu.

15
Aug, 2018

By Nikki Cabus

Palm Beach Tech Doubles in Size, Announces Board for 2018 – 2019

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Palm Beach Tech Doubles in Size, Announces 2018 – 2019 Board

Cam Collins & David Bates to Continue Co-Chairing Board of Directors

West Palm Beach, Fla. – The Palm Beach Tech Association has announced its new Board of Directors for 2018-2019, which will continue to be led by Co-Chairs Cam Collins (Dockmaster Software) & David Bates (Gunster).

“Palm Beach Tech has achieved more in the last three years then anyone could’ve imagined, and I’m proud to say we have quite a lot in store for this year,” said David Bates, Chair of the Technology and Entrepreneurial Practice Group at Gunster.

The nonprofit organization grew from 75 members in July 2017, to 158 members in July 2018. They doubled both in revenue and staff size, while counting both NextEra Energy & Office Depot as active members, both of Palm Beach County’s Fortune 500 Companies.

“Palm Beach Tech’s success is not about numbers, its about bringing people together and building our community,” said Executive Director Joe Russo. “Most importantly we’ve built strong working relationships toward building our talent pool with Florida Atlantic University, Lynn University, Palm Beach State College, and the Palm Beach County School District.”

New additions to the Board include Andy Parry (Office Depot), Kevin Scott (PGA of America), and Cristina Escalante (The SilverLogic), Chris Craft (ScriptSender), Sarah Lucas (New World Angels). Officers include Adam Steinhoff (Dedicated IT) as Vice Chair, Audrey Hammonds (Microsoft) as Secretary, and Paul Vedder (VXIT) as Treasurer.

Click Here to See our Board of Directors

Ex-Officio Board Members representing education and economic partners include Dean Stella Batalama (Florida Atlantic University), Dean Kimberly Allen (Palm Beach State College), Kate Arrizza (South Florida Science Center), Rhys Williams (FAU Tech Runway), Andrew Duffell (Research Park at FAU), and Shawn Rowan (Business Development Board).

Founded in July 2015, the Palm Beach Tech Association now has 158 Corporate Members in the fields of Software Development, Digital Media, Information Technology, and Engineering. They also founded the Palm Beach Tech Space, a 3,500 square foot coworking space in downtown West Palm Beach, thanks to a grant from the James S. & John L. Knight Foundation.

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DROPBOX: (Link Here) Association Logo, Space Logo, Headshots, and Stock Photos.

The Palm Beach Tech Association is a non-profit membership association established in 2015, building the Palm Beaches into a Tech Hub. Members include Office Depot, Levatas, Florida Power & Light, Digital Resource, PGA for America, ScriptSender, and Dedicated IT. For more, visit www.PalmBeachTech.org

23
Jul, 2018

By Nikki Cabus

Softvision Acquires Arrow Digital

Read Time 3 MinutesSoftvision, a leader in enhancing the digital consumer experience for top brands, announced it has acquired Arrow Digital, a West Palm Beach based digital consulting firm.

Arrow Digital is an IP-driven, scalable custom software firm delivering business process automation, digital experience and RPA solutions – services poised to enhance Softvision’s expertise in all aspects of customer experience and digital transformation.

The acquisition also strengthens Softvision’s Robotic Process Automation (RPA) expertise and capabilities for the Financial Services industry. RPA is a burgeoning business process automation technology, based on the idea of software robots and artificial intelligence workers automate well-defined business tasks for superior efficiency. RPA becomes Softvision’s 14th guild, which are Softvision’s Communities of Talent that collaborate globally and infuse technology and design innovation within each client relationship.

In addition, Softvision will add West Palm Beach, Florida, Dallas, Texas, L’viv, Ukraine and Ahmedabad, India to Softvision’s growing network of 23 Studios.

“The acquisition of Arrow Digital enables Softvision to strengthen our Cloud and UX Guilds, as well as bring RPA solutions to market faster and better service our North American customers,” said Andres Angelani, CEO, Softvision. “Arrow has a tremendous reputation and an outstanding track record for delivering engaging digital experiences to key vertical markets, and we’re excited to add Arrow and its talent and customers to our growing network.”

Founded in 2005, Arrow Digital has 160 creative technologist that build enterprise custom software, cloud and RPA solutions, and provides UX services for renowned brands such as PwC, Hilton Grand Vacations, Cracker Barrel and many others.

“Business and digital transformation is a priority for brands and businesses looking to drive value throughout their organizations and their industries,” said Ryan Morgan, Founder and Managing Director, Arrow Digital. “For over 12 years, Arrow Digital has worked diligently to provide clients with superior service and a trusted partner to help them achieve their objectives. We’re thrilled to join Softvision, where we’ll be able to leverage a deeper pool of talent and scale innovation across new industries while continuing to grow.”

About Arrow Digital

Arrow Digital is a boutique digital consulting firm that designs, develops and delivers high-end technology solutions for enterprises that want custom software, increased competitiveness and personal attention. The firm, comprised of 160 creative technologists, builds enterprise custom software, cloud and RPA solutions, and provides UX services for renowned brands such as PwC, Hilton Grand Vacations, Cracker Barrel and many others. Arrow Digital has strong partnerships with UiPath, Automation Anywhere, Blue Prism, Microsoft and Sitecore. A leading innovator in the field of business and digital transformation, Arrow Digital has presented thought leadership at Gartner ITXpo and Forrester’s New Tech & Innovation Forum, among other industry events. For more information, visit www.arrowdigital.com

About Softvision

Softvision creates impactful end to end digital products and solutions that connect brands with consumers that result in relevant, memorable and rewarding interactions. For more than 20 years, we have been transformational partners, working at the intersection of engineering, design and strategy for the world’s leading brands, including Estee Lauder, Groupon, Goldman Sachs, Macy’s, Mozilla, Neiman Marcus, among others. With over 2,500 product, design and engineering professionals, across a network of 23 studios in 10 countries and 5 continents, Softvision delivers sustainable innovation, agility and an emotional connection that inspires engagement and business transformation. For more information, visit www.softvision.com

02
Jan, 2018

By Nikki Cabus

City of West Palm Beach hiring Strategic Data Manager

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The City of West Palm Beach is seeking a Strategic Data Manager to oversee the development and implementation of the city’s data strategy as a priority initiative of the Mayor’s Office.

The goal is this new role is to empower employees and community members with data to effectively grow West Palm Beach into a city where people love to live, work, and play. “We are excited to add the position of Strategic Data Manager to the City of West Palm Beach,” said Mayor Jeri Muoio

Click here to read the job posting

“The successful candidate will have a wonderful opportunity to help grow West Palm Beach into a regional leader for using data to collaborate with residents and to address City challenges. We are looking for a visionary data leader who can help us better utilize data to improve outcomes related to our key values of transparency and accountability.”

This key position will work to ensure the success of the City’s open data efforts and create a transparent, outcomes-driven culture. The incumbent will oversee the development and implementation of the city’s data strategy, which includes facilitating data-driven decision making through relevant performance management/analytics, promoting transparency through open data, and constructing a comprehensive strategy for citywide data collection, usage, and storage.

This is an ideal position for an entrepreneurial leader interested in leading the adoption of innovative strategies to spur cultural change and solve pressing City challenges more effectively.

To learn more or apply, click here to read the posting

 

19
Dec, 2017

By Nikki Cabus

Palm Beach State College seeks $250k for Coding & Cognitive Tech

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Palm Beach State College has filed a legislative bill for $250,000 in funding for a Coding and Cognitive Technologies Program.

HB 2855 – Coding and Cognitive Technologies Program is sponsored by Representative David Silvers and Senator Bobby Powell and will be considered during the 2018 Florida legislative session. This would establish a Palm Beach State College program focusing on Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Predictive Analysis, & Machine Learning.

 

From Palm Beach State College’s 2018 Legislative Priorities:
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there will be a million more computing jobs than computer science graduates by 2020. Coding has become the language of the 21st Century, and PBSC, through its mission, is dedicated to providing a program to assist with this $200 billion industry. Coding is a major topic of focus around the world. It touches every facet of modern life and is a critical literacy for everyone. Learning to code unlocks creativity, develops problem-solving skills, opens career paths, and builds an understanding of how our world works. Many governments, foundations, and thought leaders are calling for coding programs in education.

To better fulfill workforce needs, this turnkey-ready program would align with the industry and be directly transferrable. Potential areas included in the curriculum are Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Predictive Analysis, Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing, etc. It will appeal to those with and without degrees, is STEM focused, and will remain flexible by providing a marketable skillset through credentials with the opportunity to lead to a degree. Palm Beach State College has agreed to a $250,000 match, which will include funding for software license fees, computer lab materials, wiring and network server expenses.

The total cost to establish the program is $500,000.

21
Nov, 2017

By Nikki Cabus

Modernizing Medicine receives People’s Choice Award at 2017 UX Awards

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Modernizing Medicine’s modmed® Kiosk Receives the People’s Choice Award at the 2017 UX Awards

Physician efficiency and patient empowerment focus of easy-to-use, interactive application

Palm Beach Tech Association Member, Modernizing Medicine, Inc., receives the People’s Choice Award at the 2017 UX Awards Summit in Palo Alto, California. Modernizing Medicine won the award for their modmed® Kiosk by highest average popular vote.

The modmed® Kiosk is a native iPad application designed for patients to perform self-service tasks at the doctor’s office, such as completing patient intake forms. Kiosk provides a valuable opportunity to engage patients early on, directly involve them in their own care, reduce potential errors from illegible documentation, decrease waiting time, reduce costs, and eliminate outdated information.

The UX Awards Summit Conference aims to inspire technologists to create human-centered products that solve real problems by showcasing the most innovative people, products, and processes of next-generation digital product, customer experience, interaction, service, integrated industrial-digital, and experience design.

The award was received by members of the UX team including:

  • Mike Carter | Mobile Technical Lead
  • Busra Demirci | Senior User Experience Designer
  • Andrew Schall | User Experience Manager
  • Mihai Fonoage | Associate Vice President of Mobile Strategy & UX

About Modernizing Medicine:

Modernizing Medicine is transforming how healthcare information is created, consumed and utilized in order to increase practice efficiency, and improve patient outcomes. Their products and services are designed to transform the clinical, financial and operational aspects of dermatology, gastroenterology, ophthalmology, orthopedics, otolaryngology, pain management, plastic surgery, and urology practices.

02
Nov, 2017

By Nikki Cabus

eMerge Americas 2018 | Call for Speakers

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eMerge Americas, the premier tech conference connecting North America and Latin America is looking for executives to present in 2018. The call for speakers is now open, looking for content that solves real-world problems in these main areas:

  • Digital Enterprise
  • The Digital Economy
  • Digital Society

 

eMerge Americas 2018 is scheduled for April 23 & 24 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Thousands of attendees will be wanting to hear from you if your company or startup aligns with these themes:

  • IOT
  • Smart Cities
  • IT Integration
  • Marketing Technology
  • Cyber Security
  • E-commerce

  

 

About eMerge Americas

eMerge Americas in the premier technology event connecting Latin America, North America & Europe. It is a unique convening of global enterprises, leading startups and government leaders focused on innovative digital solutions transforming industries.

Thousands will embark on the eMerge journey in 2018. For some, the path leads directly to WIT (Women, Innovation & Technology). For others, it’s the Startup Showcase that brings them to Miami. But it’s the unexpected moments that make the journey worthwhile. The chance conversation with a key investor. The panel discussion that sparks an idea. At eMerge, there’s always something more to explore.

01
Nov, 2017

By Nikki Cabus

Innovative Architects named as one of the Best Workplaces

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Palm Beach Tech member Innovative Architects was named one of the 2017 Best Workplaces by Great Place to Work and FORTUNE for the 3rd consecutive year.

The ranking was based on 74,000 surveys from employees across the U. S in all business sectors. The survey was based on leadership, fairness, rewards and career opportunities, where IA also ranked in the Top 100 Mid-Size Nationwide companies according to FORTUNE.

Innovative Architects also received the Best Workplace award in 2015 and 2016.

About Innovative Architects

IA is a Microsoft Gold Certified enterprise consulting firm headquartered near Atlanta, Georgia with offices in Downtown West Palm Beach. The company specializes in using leading edge, proven technologies to build practical solutions to business problems. We commit to understanding our client’s business and technology needs so that our solutions are able to meet both current and future needs. We also seek to deliver quick returns on our client’s IT investments by deploying modular, reusable solutions that fit with client’s legacy systems and their new strategic architectures (i.e., web services, service-oriented architecture, etc.)

    Learn More About Innovative Architects

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