Tech Hub South Florida hosts region’s top Tech Leaders at Summer BBQ
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Last week, Tech Hub South Florida hosted a barbecue for members of its Startup Founders and CxO peer groups. This event provided a laid-back environment for founders and executives to connect, network, and celebrate the start of summer.
The event was held at the new Delray Beach headquarters of Premier Virtual, which recently held a ribbon cutting ceremony. The startup, which has developed a platform for holding large-scale virtual event and career fairs, has experienced exponential growth as in-person events became replaced by digital alternatives.
Nikki Cabus, Tech Hub South Florida’s Interim CEO, said that “these kinds of informal events are so important because people ultimately work with people they like. It’s that simple.”
She continued, “It removes the transactional business card exchange that seldomly yields any genuine connection. Once you have a chance to connect over beer and BBQ, have a conversation about baseball and family, you really get to know somebody. This is where friendships are made, business opportunities arise, and referrals stem from.”
Tech Hub South Florida’s peer groups offer an opportunity for members to meet, learn from, and share best practices with each other. Benefits include regular meetings, exclusive member communications, and access to unique speakers and networking opportunities.
The Startup Founders Peer Group brings together our region’s most ambitious entrepreneurs leading companies with fewer than 10 employees. Its chair, Mike Maniscalco, is the founder of Better Living Technologies, which develops products to help patients manage their type 1 diabetes. Gaida Zirkelback, Co-Founder & CEO of carbon accounting platform SustainaBase is the peer group’s co-chair. As the South Florida tech ecosystem grows, this Peer Group will continue to act as a resource for founders looking to scale in this dynamic region.
Manish Hirapara, CEO of PeakActivity
CxO Peer Group members include top executives of tech companies with more than 10 employees that are headquartered in South Florida. Manish Hirapara, CEO of Boynton Beach-based digital strategy firm PeakActivity, is Chair of the peer group. He sits alongside Co-Chair Amit Rastogi, physician and CEO at Jupiter Medical Center. Tech Hub South Florida believes that it is crucial to have more established tech firms supporting younger companies that are pushing the boundaries of innovation in South Florida.
Tech Hub South Florida would like to thank Think Consulting and their President Tony Gruebl, which sponsored the event.
Gruebel said that Tech Hub South Florida “curated an amazing event with a great turnout of founders and C-Level Executives from the area.” He continued, “The relaxed atmosphere created the perfect space to connect, network, and have some fun. We are looking forward to the next event.”
Ed Mullin, Vice President & CIO at Think, said that he especially enjoyed Premier Virtual’s diverse contributions to the night’s success: “Steve Edwards CEO of Premier Virtual cooks an awesome brisket! It was also nice to see Premier Virtual’s brand new offices and meet their inspired staff. They have quite the story to tell.”
Think is a national technology and operations advisory practice that provides on-the-ground transformation and consulting, led by executives, adapted for the mid-market. The team aligns company culture to business mission and goals, leading to positive and sustainable change and meaningful results. Think is engaged in a variety of sectors including EdTech, financial services, and publishing.
Think’s Tony Gruebl and Ed Mullin
Tech Hub would also like to thank Premier Virtual and Co-Founders, Steve Edwards and Gary Chambers for hosting this event in their beautiful new space.
Might you be interested in joining a Tech Hub South Florida peer group? If so, please get in touch via our website.