South Florida Tech HubSouth Florida Tech Hub
17
Mar, 2024

By Nikki Cabus

Adam Elitzur, Tech Hub Intern and 12th grader wins 2023 Congressional App Challenge in Florida’s 25th District

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Adam Elitzur, a South Florida Tech Hub intern and South Florida 12th grader won the 2023 Congressional App Challenge in Florida’s 25th District. 

The Congressional App Challenge is made up of members of the U.S. House of Representatives who host annual district-wide challenges for middle school and high school students, encouraging them to learn to code and inspiring them to pursue careers in computer science. Each challenge is district-specific and the U.S. Representatives publicly recognize the winning teams. Each winning app may be put on display in the U.S. Capitol Building for one year. The Congressional Internet Caucus initiates the annual CAC.

The Congressional App Challenge’s mission is to Inspire, Include and Innovate: inspire students from every corner of the country to explore STEM, coding and computer science through hands-on practice, to actively include and engage students from communities that are traditionally underrepresented in the tech community, and to innovate policymaking by connecting members of Congress to new and emerging technologies through personal interactions with their student constituents.

Songlingo is a fun, free website that helps people learn languages through songs. Songlingo will have you singing your way to fluency in no time! The app allows you to save specific words, songs and even compete against others with its leader board. For the price of a coffee (or or more), you can support this student-built app by making a donation.

The winning app was created by Adam Elitzur, a 12th grader currently enrolled at Posnack School which is a private Jewish day school located in Davie and the premier college preparatory Jewish school in Florida equipping students for success in a complex & interdependent world. Posnack School is a leader in the use of educational technologies to improve learning and engage students and has hosted events such as Hackathons to engage students in STEM-related activities that also support the community.

After moving to Broward with his family, Adam quickly realized the diversity of the South Florida region and the multitude of languages in the region. Over 25% of Broward County’s population speaks spanish and of that group almost 40% of that group speaks limited English. Adam also encountered a kindergarten student while volunteering with a local youth group witnessing how difficult is was for this child to communicate with other children and to make friends. Adam knew he had to learn spanish. He decided to build Songlingo.

Adam quickly gained proficiency in the language allowing him to better communicate with the spanish-speaking community around him. He quickly realized how impactful this technology could be used for those struggling to learn the English language. Removing the language barrier could improve access to healthcare, education, higher paying jobs and a plethora of other resources and opportunities.

“I began spreading the word through language learning social media channels. The site now has over 5,500 language learners across the globe, bridging language and cultural barriers,” Adam stated in an interview for a Congressional App Challenge article.

Debbie Wasserman Schultz, serves as the U.S. representative for Florida’s 25th congressional district, first elected to Congress in 2004. She was in attendance for Songlingo’s pitch and announcement of the first place award stating, “Congrats to this year’s FL-25 Congressional App Challenge winner!”

She continued, “Adam Elitzur’s app, Songlingo, aids language learning through music! I’m so inspired by all the STEM students, parents and teachers who made this year’s challenge a success.”

Adam is also an intern working at South Florida Tech Hub as a contributing writer. He was introduced to the organization when he attended Soflo DevCon 2023, a annual software developers conference, currently being held at Nova Southeastern University’s Davie campus. He attended the conference, attended classes and workshops, and connected with the CEO at the conference offering to write a recap article of the event.

As he awaits responses to a few of the universities he applied for, Adam just received an offer letter from the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). We are awaiting to hear what he officially decides!

The 2024 Congressional App Challenge will launch in May of 2024, and eligible students can pre-register for the competition now.

To learn more about Songlingo, visit www.song-lingo.com

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09
Nov, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

13 South Florida companies named winners of the 2023 Deloitte Technology Fast 500

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Deloitte today released its “North America Technology Fast 500™,” an annual ranking of the fastest-growing North American companies – and thirteen South Florida companies were winners this year!

Now in its 29th year, the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 list highlights the passion and dedication it takes to be an industry disrupter across the technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences, fintech, and energy tech sectors. Each year, companies can receive increased visibility, brand recognition, and growth opportunities by joining this elite group,

“Each year, we look forward to reviewing the progress and innovations of our Technology Fast 500 winners. This year is especially celebratory as we expand the number of winners to better represent just how many companies are developing new ideas to progress our society and the world, especially during a slow economy,” said Paul Silverglate, Vice Chair, Deloitte LLP and U.S. technology sector leader.

“While software and services and life sciences continue to dominate the top 10, we are encouraged to see other categories making their mark. Congratulations to all the winners who show us how creativity, hard work and perseverance can lead to success.”

The Deloitte Technology Fast 500 winners represent 41 states and provinces across North America. California’s Bay Area continued to lead the regional pack with 18% of the Technology Fast 500 winners, followed by the Tri-State Area representing 13% of the winning companies. Software and services is the leading industry in all major markets, even New England, where historically life sciences has dominated.

Eighty-five percent (85%) of the companies listed in the 2023 Technology Fast 500 were backed by venture capital or private equity funding at some point in their company history.

Software and services companies once again topped this year’s Technology Fast 500 listing, representing the majority of the winners for the 28th straight year (57%). Of the software and services companies on the list, digital platforms represented the majority of winners (49%) with enterprise infrastructure and productivity following with 31% of the winners. Security (13%), consumer software (5%) and education (2%), comprised the rest of the subsectors within software and services. Life sciences and fintech rounded out the top three industry categories with 16% and 12% of total winners, respectively.

Overall median growth rate of the winners was 497%. Life sciences had the highest median revenue growth rate at 665%.

 

The South Florida companies honored this year are:

  • #20 | MyFBAPrep
    • Software & services
    • 8,792% Growth
    • Coral Springs (Broward County)

MyFBAPrep is the highest ranked company in Florida and in the logistics and transportation category. The are a leading eCommerce warehouse logistics network, MyFBAPrep’s hypergrowth comes on the back of several major CPG client wins and the expansion of its warehouse network footprint to 85-million-square-feet of warehouse space globally.

Achieving a three-year growth rate of 8,792%, MyFBAPrep is one of the highest-ranked logistics and transportation companies on the list. This hypergrowth comes on the back of several major consumer packaged goods (CPG) client wins and the expansion of its warehouse network footprint to 85-million-square-feet of warehouse space globally. Handling all eCommerce needs from port to porch, MyFBAPrep offers its roster of enterprise-level customers and top eCommerce sellers cutting-edge warehousing and logistics solutions powered by its SaaS platform Preptopia®.

“Our team has been on a mission since Day One to change the face of eCommerce logistics as it exists today. Being recognized on the 2023 Deloitte Technology Fast 500™ list alongside the other high-flying  technology companies is a testament to our team’s commitment to this mission,” said Tom Wicky, Co-Founder and CEO of MyFBAPrep. “Our tech-first approach leveraging customer service and execution has been a winning formula, complimenting a client roster that has responded well to our product and continues to help us make our network and suite of services even better.”

  • #41 | Fox Ordering
    • Software & services
    • 4,143% Growth
    • Boca Raton (Palm Beach County)
  • #114 | ClassWallet
    • Fintech
    • 1,263% Growth
    • Hollywood (Broward County)
  • #162 | Honorlock
    • Software & services
    • 865% Growth
    • Boca Raton (Palm Beach County)
  • #165 | ViB
    • Software & services
    • 855% Growth
    • North Palm Beach (Palm Beach County)
  • #186 | Social Mobile
    • Hardware & semiconductors
    • 779% Hollywood (Broward)
  • #202 | Drawbridge
    • Software & services
    • 694% Growth
    • Palm Beach Gardens (Palm Beach County)
  • #215 | Instreamatic
    • Software & services
    • 660% Growth
    • Boca Raton (Palm Beach County)
  • #235 | Taxfyle
    • Software & services
    • 612% Growth
    • Coconut Grove (Miami-Dade County)
  • #257 | Launch Potato
    • Digital content/media/entertainment
    • 534% Growth
    • Delray Beach (Palm Beach County)
  • #276 | PlanHub
    • Software & services
    • 490% Growth
    • West Palm Beach (Palm Beach County)
  • #355 | springbig
    • Software & services
    • 365% Growth
    • Boca Raton (Palm Beach County)
  • #361 | CloudHesive
    • Software & services
    • 360% Growth
    • Fort Lauderdale (Broward County)

 

“As for growing companies, it’s always rewarding to be recognized for the ongoing commitment it takes to navigate obstacles, transform when necessary and ultimately create a thriving business,” said Christie Simons, Partner, Deloitte & Touche LLP and industry leader for technology, media and telecommunications within Deloitte’s Audit & Assurance practice.

“Over the nearly 30 years we’ve been compiling the Technology Fast 500, we’ve seen new categories emerge, growth rates explode, and certain regional markets shine from the bright talent they attract. We are proud of all the winners for achieving this well-deserved honor.”

Technology Fast 500 awardees are selected based on percentage fiscal year revenue growth from 2019 to 2022. Overall, the 2023 Technology Fast 500 companies achieved revenue growth ranging from 201% to 222,189% over the three-year time frame, with an average growth rate of 1,934% and a median growth rate of 497%.

The rankings are based on submitted applications and public company database research, with winners selected based on their fiscal-year revenue growth percentage over a three-year period. With so many entrants meeting the eligibility criteria this year, we expanded the 2023 Winners’ List to include those companies that achieved a growth rate of 200 percent or higher, as a celebratory sign that tech companies are thriving even amidst challenging economic times.

For more more information and full data points on the winners, please visit www.Fast500.com

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08
Nov, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

Ryder CISO named winner in Top Global CISOs for 2023 by Cyber Defense Magazine

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Ryder System, Inc. (NYSE: R) announced that Ryder Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) Joe Ellis has been named a winner of the Top Global CISOs Awards for 2023, sponsored annually by Cyber Defense Magazine.

Ryder System, Inc. (NYSE: R) is a leading logistics and transportation company. It provides supply chain, dedicated transportation, and fleet management solutions, including warehousing and distribution, e-commerce fulfillment, last-mile delivery, managed transportation, professional drivers, freight brokerage, full-service leasing, maintenance, commercial truck rental, and used vehicle sales to some of the world’s most-recognized brands.

Ryder provides services throughout the United States, Mexico, and Canada. In addition, Ryder manages nearly 260,000 commercial vehicles and operates approximately 300 warehouses encompassing more than 95 million square feet. To secure this top honor, Mr. Ellis competed against thousands of candidates. Judges search for the most innovative candidates, with success in communicating with their boards and senior level executives, and who aim to build powerful risk reduction programs for their organizations.

Chief information security officers help corporations avert disasters and work tirelessly to allow companies to grow and expand by managing and mitigating cybersecurity issues on a day-to-day basis.

Joe Ellis has been Ryder’s CISO since 2018 and is responsible for the transportation and logistics company’s information security program. Prior to joining Ryder, he was CISO at Subway Restaurants. With nearly three decades of IT leadership experience, he is also a CISSP® – Certified Information Systems Security Professional, Certified Information Systems Auditor® (CISA), and Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer (CDPSE).

“We are thrilled to see Joe achieve this top spot in the industry and be recognized as a leading cyber innovator and defender,” says Ryder Chief Information Officer Rajeev Ravindran. “Joe has driven significant results over the course of his 27 years in the IT industry, and his impressive leadership and experience have proven even more impactful at Ryder.”

Cyber Defense Magazine was founded in 2012 by Gary S. Miliefsky, a globally recognized cyber security thought leader, inventor, and entrepreneur and continues to be the premier source of IT Security information. Managed and published by and for ethical, honest, passionate information security professionals. Our mission is to share cutting-edge knowledge, real-world stories and awards on the best ideas, products and services in the information technology industry. We deliver electronic magazines every month online for free, and limited special editions exclusively for the RSA, BlackHat, and Cyber Defense Conferences.

“We’re pleased to honor Joe Ellis as a winner among the small, elite group of information security professionals of our Top Global CISOs Awards for 2023, celebrating with them at CyberDefenseCon 2023,” says Gary Miliefsky, publisher of Cyber Defense Magazine.

This is Cyber Defense Magazine’s 11th year of honoring cybersecurity innovators, in this case the Top Global CISOs for 2023, on our Cyber Defense Awards platform. In this competition, judges for these and other prestigious awards include cybersecurity industry veterans, trailblazers and market makers Gary Miliefsky of CDMG, Dr. Lindsey Polley de Lopez of VentureScope, Robert R. Ackerman Jr. of Allegis Cyber, Dino Boukouris of MomentumCyber and with much appreciation to emeritus judges Robert Herjavec of Cyderes, Dr. Peter Stephenson of CDMG, and David DeWalt of NightDragon.

To view the full list of winners, visit: https://cyberdefenseawards.com/top-global-cisos-winners-for-2023/.

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25
Oct, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

FAU’s Research Park celebrates recipients of the Annual Awards & Celebration of Entrepreneurship

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On October 18th at the Boca West Country Club, the Research Park at Florida Atlantic University® celebrated the recipients of its Annual Awards & Celebration of Entrepreneurship.

Since its thirtieth anniversary in 2015, the Research Park at FAU has been celebrating distinguished contributors to its mission of promoting scientific research and development in affiliation with Florida Atlantic University and fostering economic development in Palm Beach and Broward counties. Each year, impactful contributions and greater potential for the future can be seen: South Florida has a vibrant, diverse economy ahead, driven by the work of all these distinguished recipients, partner organizations in the Research Park, and others.

The Research Park at Florida Atlantic University® is home to technology companies 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 FAU Tech Runway, a South Florida public-private partnership that serves as a hub to accelerate technology development and incubate startup companies.

The Research Park at FAU is a 70-acre destination for R&D companies to thrive, established in 1985, it is widely regarded as South Florida’s laboratory for new entrepreneurial ideas and technologies. 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.

This year’s awards are made as the South Florida region experiences record-setting growth, facing new challenges, and benefiting from stronger regional institutions. Florida Atlantic University has emerged as a regional healthcare leader, addressing the need for better, more accessible healthcare. Technologies developed at the Research Park at FAU help provide more predictable, positive outcomes and they are made as more people recognize the virtue and strength of diversity in our society and economy.

Each year, friends and stakeholders – business, government and academic leaders – of the Research Park at FAU gather to celebrate the achievements of the entrepreneurs and innovators who make the Park community stronger. Approximately 200 leaders from the business, academic and governmental fields strengthen relationships and share ideas for the future.

This year’s honorees are:

Bob Swindell | Chair’s Distinguished Service Award

Mr. Swindell was appointed to the Florida Atlantic Research and Development Authority, which governs the Research Park at FAU, in 2005 by the Broward County Commission; he went on to serve with distinction for eighteen years, including twice as chairman. Swindell was appointed president & CEO of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance in 2009 where he has led the strengthening of Broward County’s economy and become a universally respected servant leader and authority across industries and sectors.

A lifelong Broward resident, Swindell has served in several business and community leadership roles, including leading the American Red Cross during and after Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Since that time, he has been appointed to statewide roles by governors Martinez, Chiles, Bush and Scott. Bob’s knowledge and guidance have been indispensable to the development of the Research Park at FAU.

 

Michael Allison | Distinguished Leader

Mr. Allison distinguished himself as a leader in every role he took on. From leading student government at Ohio State University where he earned his law degree, to coaching young football and baseball players, to leading at both Office Depot as Executive Vice President of Human Resources, and at Burlington as Executive Vice President & Chief Administrative Officer, to leading the Florida Atlantic Research and Development Authority. Allison’s leadership style was to empower those around him to achieve their full potential, having done so with his own life.

Allison joined the Authority in retirement, as a commitment to his community. Later, when he came out of retirement and consulting at Allison Consulting, which he created in 2018, to join Burlington, he maintained his commitment and he led the development of the Research Park at FAU’s current strategic plan through extensive collaboration during his unprecedented three years as chairman of the Authority. He helped so many see, pursue, and achieve their own potential, including himself. Sadly, Michael untimely passed away on August 11, 2023, and this award is made in memoriam.

 

Robert Colton, M.D. | Distinguished Entrepreneur 

Dr. Colton is the co-founder and Chairman of Thema Brain Health (Thema), a Research Park at FAU-based company. Thema is revolutionizing how the world approaches cognitive brain health. Over the last five decades, tremendous progress has been made in the prevention and treatment of all major diseases of aging except for Alzheimer’s Disease. While aging is inevitable, Thema Brain Health is on a mission to ensure that cognitive decline is not.

Before founding Thema, Colton was the co-founder and chairman of ClearlyDerm, a multi-location easy access dermatology company. ClearlyDerm currently has five locations in South Florida with twelve dermatologists, nine nurse practitioners and physician assistants and 100 employees. Prior to founding ClearlyDerm, Colton conceptualized and co-founded MDVIP, the largest concierge medicine company in the United States; he sold MDVIP to Procter and Gamble in 2009. Today MDVIP’s more than 1,100 affiliated physicians serve more than 385,000 patients nationwide. Colton’s contribution to South Florida’s innovation and knowledge economy has already been distinguised, and his entrepreneurial energies continue with Thema.

 

Siri Terjesen, M.D. | Distinguished Researcher

Dr. Terjesen is Associate Dean, Research & External Relations, founding Executive Director of the Madden Center for Value Creation, and Phil Smith Professor of Entrepreneurship at Florida Atlantic’s College of Business. She is a nationally recognized expert in higher education, strategic management, entrepreneurship, and philanthropy. She was nominated by the president of the United States to serve as one of 15 voting directors to the National Board for Education Sciences (NBES) which advises the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute for Education Sciences. Terjesen serves as a reviewer for the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 project and the Swedish and Norwegian governments’ higher education agencies, and as advisor to the World Bank, Kauffman Foundation, and a variety of think tanks.

Terjesen’s research on entrepreneurship, corporate governance, and strategy includes over 80 articles, 2 books, many white papers, and manuscripts (Kauffman Foundation, World Bank, and U.S. Small Business Administration, for example). She is amongst the world’s top 2% most cited scholars (Clarviate) and has over 13,000 citations in Google Scholar. Terjesen’s distinguished work has inspired several Research Park and Global Ventures companies to get further involved with Florida Atlantic’s work and her research has helped innovate companies’ strategies.

Read more about Dr. Terjesen here.

 

Canada-Florida Chamber of Commerce | Distinguished Organization 

The Canada-Florida Chamber has partnered with the Research Park at FAU since before the creation of Global Ventures, the second-stage entrepreneur support initiative to attract and grow innovative technologies in South Florida. Through its innovative programming, relationships, engaged membership and trade missions, the Canada-Florida Chamber has contributed to the growth and success of Global Ventures. Several entrepreneurs have learned about Global Ventures through the chamber’s events and programming, resulting in two Canadian companies expanding their offerings with Global Ventures, and a robust pipeline of prospects.

 

The Awards & Celebration of Entrepreneurship is made possible by the investments of Palm Beach County and the City of Boca Raton in the Research Park at FAU’s programs and by the support of Gold Partner Florida Power & Light and 35 Mules and Silver Partner Kaufman Rossin. Innovation Partners include: 2TON, Baptist Health, Banyan Development, Boca Raton Airport, CBIZ, CohnResznick, Comcast, FAU College of Engineering & Computer Science, FAU Executive Education, HGreg, Invest: Palm Beach, Lorium Law, PEBB Enterprises, People’s Trust Insurance Company, Neptunya Ocean Power, Seascoast Bank and the BV Group at UBS.

To learn more about the FAU Research Park, visit http://www.research-park.org/

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05
Sep, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

South Florida Water Management District announced Florida Crystals exceeds 2023 clean water goals

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Florida Crystals and neighboring farmers in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) have been recognized once again for outperforming clean water goals.

Just last month, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) announced that in Water Year 2023 EAA farmers exceeded the 2023 clean water goals. A “water year” is a 12 month period that extends from October 1st to September 30th. The water year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends. The current water year is 2023.

As Florida Crystals partnership in Everglades restoration nears 30 years, EAA farmers achieved a 63% reduction in phosphorus in – more than double the 25% goal set forth in the Everglades Forever Act. The Everglades Forever Act is a Florida law passed in 1994 designed to restore the Everglades.

According to the Florida Department of Environmental Education, “The long-term water quality objective for the Everglades is to implement the optimal combination of source controls, stormwater treatment areas, advanced treatment technologies and regulatory programs to ensure that all waters discharged to the Everglades Protection Area achieve water quality standards consistent with the EFA. The Restoration Planning and Permitting Section of the Bureau of Assessment and Restoration Support is responsible for coordinating with DEP staff, state and federal agencies, industry representatives and other groups on permitting activities required under the EFA.”

The Everglades Forever Act requires the state of Florida to:

  • Restore and protect the Everglades ecological system.
  • Authorize the district to proceed expeditiously with implementation of the Everglades program.
  • Reduce excessive levels of phosphorus.
  • Pursue comprehensive and innovative solutions to the issues of water quality, water quantity, hydroperiod and invasions of non-native species that affect the Everglades ecosystem.
  • Expedite plans and programs for improving water quantity reaching the Everglades.
  • Provide a sufficient period for construction, testing and research so that the benefits of the Everglades Construction Project will be determined and maximized prior to requiring additional measures.
  • Achieve the water quality goals of the Everglades program through implementation of stormwater treatment areas and best management practices, e.g., the best available phosphorus reduction technology.
  • Pursue the Everglades Construction Project expeditiously but with flexibility so that superior technology may be utilized most effectively when available.

“We are proud of our science-based farming practices,” said Jaime Vega, Vice President of Agriculture. “Our regenerative farming philosophy ensures we continue to supply homegrown foods while enhancing our soil and protecting our surrounding ecosystem.”

Further demonstrating EAA farmers’ success this year, data from the SFWMD showed that water flowing south from the EAA was cleaner than when it arrived on Florida Crystal’s farms from Lake Okeechobee. This highlights not only the effectiveness of Florida Crystals Regenerative Organic Certified® practices, but also the role of sugarcane – one of nature’s most sustainable crops – at absorbing nutrients from irrigation water.

Florida Crystals’ sustainable farming practices have been vital to helping EAA farmers achieve and outperform the nation’s strictest water-quality standard for 28 years, with an average long-term phosphorus reduction of 57%.

Florida Crystals and members of our farming region, the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA), developed and implemented high-tech, on-farm Best Management Practices (BMPs) with researchers from the University of Florida to ensure we protect our natural resources.  Our BMP program has been nationally recognized for its effectiveness in environmental preservation. Regenerative agriculture is front and center each day on Florida Crystals farms.

Florida Crystals Corporation is a fully integrated cane sugar and agriculture company in Palm Beach County. Florida Crystals farms 190,000 acres in South Florida, where it also owns two sugar mills, a sugar refinery, a packaging and distribution center, a rice mill and the largest biomass renewable power plant in North America, which cleanly powers its sugar operations. Florida Crystals was the first and remains the only producer of organic sugar grown and milled in the US.

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15
Aug, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

Tech Hub Announces 2023 Golden Palm Award Honorees

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Golden Palm Award Honorees:

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

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

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

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

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

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15
May, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

University of Miami students among finalists at this year’s AWE XR Prize Challenge on Fighting Climate Change

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The University of Miami‘s The Mangrove City project is among this year’s finalists for the AWE 2023 XR Challenge. 

Mangrove City is a VR experience designed for middle school students to explore the crucial role of mangrove forests in protecting coastal communities and mitigating climate change. The VR experience was developed by a team of University faculty, staff members, and students as a part of UM’s XR Initiative active in the fields of architecture, health care, sustainability, climate change, art history, behavioral research, human-computer interfaces, UI/UX, new media, and narrative/storytelling research.

Augmented World Expo. or AWE, launched the “XR Prize Challenge: Fight Climate Change” in October 2022. The challenge gives subject matter experts, engineers, entrepreneurs, technologists, and other professionals an avenue where they can use XR technology to visualize information and create potential solutions to fight climate change. A group or individual has a chance at winning a cash prize of $100,000.

There were four distinct categories under which entrants could submit their nominations. These categories were:
  1. Replacing Wasteful Material Consumption – For solutions that demonstrate that XR is a viable medium for reducing society’s dependence on wasteful transportation, consumption of goods, and unsustainable real estate development.
  2. Visualizing The Causes & Impacts of Climate Change – For solutions that demonstrate XR’s unique ability to educate people about the causes and effects of climate change, and influence behaviors and policies to promote equity and fairness.
  3. Educating About Solutions to Climate Change – For solutions that demonstrate XR as a unique story-telling medium for giving a voice to climatologists and sustainability solutions providers, providing them with a powerful platform to educate communities and expand their reach.
  4. Optimizing Design & Execution of Climate Solutions – For solutions that demonstrate XR as a unique decision-optimization tool, enabling professionals to design and develop perfected solutions that give us the best possible chance to mitigate and reverse climate change.

In January 2023, with hundreds of submissions from around the world, 150 projects from six different continents were chosen to move onto the MVP Phase.” They had to demonstrate a minimum viable product and highlight to judges exactly how their solutions addressed aspects of:

  1. Creativity – Entrants had to demonstrate how their submissions exhibited appropriateness, quality, beauty, design, and originality, as well as highlight the uniqueness of their XR product or project as a solution for fighting climate change.
  2. Functionality – Entrants had to show how their submissions took into account a range of functional requirements, including thoughtful user experience, access, ease of use, and an innovative user interaction associated with their XR-based solutions.
  3. Impact – Entrants had to quantify the impact that their XR-based solutions would have and demonstrate how they would deliver on their promise to fight climate change, including the viability of the solution in the marketplace, its ability to be scaled, and how a solution would be demonstrated or calculated to achieve its intended effect.

Then, on May 3rd,  2023, AWE announced the finalists for the XR Prize challenge – only 11 were chosen – and the University of Miami made the cut!

AWE’s website states that “many of the finalists demonstrated innovative ways in which augmented, virtual and mixed reality technology can be used to help humanity in its fight against one of the biggest existential threats that we are facing as a species today – climate change.”

“It’s humbling to work with so many diverse teams haling from all around the globe and truly inspiring to see and experience so many creative proposals to harness XR in our fight against climate change,” said Dace Campbell, XR Prize Manager, ”

Dace is a professionally licensed architect with extensive experience developing and implementing strategy and innovation with an expertise in XR technology: researching, developing, testing, and applying XR on hundreds of successful projects. Throughout his career, Dace has been a champion for the  the use of virtual reality and augmented reality in industry. He has proven they enhance productivity, sustainability, and equity for designers, builders, and owners winning multiple awards for furthering industry excellence. 

👉🏽 Check out UM’s video here. 🎥

Each team will demonstrate their solutions at final presentations in-person in front of a live judging panel on May 30th at AWE 2023 held in Santa Clara, California. The XR Prize winner(s) will be announced on June 1 at the event during the Auggie Awards ceremony.

The judges panel includes:

  • Katerina Cizek – Award-winning documentary director whose body of work includes documenting the Digital Revolution. Cizek is also the co-founder of the Co-Creation Studio.
  • Robert Fine – Executive director and founder of the International Virtual Reality and Healthcare Association (IVRHA).
  • Marina Psaros – Sustainability expert who has over a decade of experience leading climate action programs. Psaros is also Unity’s global sustainability lead.
  • Dr. Erika Woolsey – Dr. Woolsey is a marine biologist, as well as the chief scientist and co-founder of the Hydrous, a non-profit organization that uses science-based experiences and scalable solutions, such as VR, to further our understanding of and education on ocean science.
To view all 11 finalist projects selected for the final round, click here.
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13
Mar, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

Inspire CIO announces 20 finalists for South Florida CIO Awards 2023

Read Time 3 Minutes

SouthFloridaCIO has announced the 20 finalists for the 2023 South Florida CIO ORBIE® Awards. 

For over 20 years, the CIO ORBIE Awards have recognized technology executives for leadership and excellence across the country. Since inception in 1998, over 500 CIO of the Year winners have received the prestigious ORBIE Award. SouthFloridaCIO is one of 25 chapters of the InspireCIO Leadership Network, a national membership organization comprised exclusively of CIOs from public and private businesses, government, education, healthcare and nonprofit institutions.

The South Florida CIO ORBIE® Awards will honor the CIOs who are driving innovation and transforming South Florida’s leading organizations. The CIOs are typically recognized in multiple categories, based on the size and scope of their organization and responsibilities.

“Every organization is technology-dependent, but strong leadership is the X-factor that can turn day to day IT into a remarkable strategic differentiator,” said Ann Dozier, SouthFloridaCIO Chair and Large Enterprise category winner in 2022.

“The ORBIE Awards are meaningful because they are judged by peers – CIOs who understand the challenges of technology leadership.”

Finalists and winners are selected by an independent peer review process, led by prior ORBIE recipients, based upon leadership and management effectiveness, business value created by technology innovation, and engagement in industry and community endeavors.

According to the South Florida Business Journal, the finalists were named in 5 categories including:

  • Global: Over $5 billion annual revenue and multi-national operations.
  • Large Enterprise: Over $5 billion annual revenue.
  • Enterprise: Up to $5 billion annual revenue.
  • Large Corporate: Up to $1 billion annual revenue.
  • Corporate: Up to $500 million annual revenue.

 

Meet Our 2023 Finalists:

  • Global Finalists:
    • Eric Firer (Bacardi)
    • Kevin Grayling (Florida Crystals)
    • Tim Langley-Hawthorne (Hertz)
    • Rocky Wiggins (spirit)
  • Large Enterprise:
    • Margaret Brisbane (Miami Dade County)
    • Sam Jaddi (ADT), Christos Kotsakis (AutoNation)
    • Tom Moreno (Lennar Financial Services)
  • Enterprise:
    • Patrick Hale (VITAS Healthcare)
    • Steven May (JenCare – a ChenMed Company)
    • Ram Puppala (ACI Worldwide)
    • Brad Rohrer (University of Miami)
  • Large Corporate:
    • Mary Desmarais (NCH Healthcare System)
    • David Seo (Nicklaus Children’s Health System)
    • Daniel Tehrani (ScribeAmerica)
    • William M. Velez (Harvard Maintenance Inc.)
  •  Corporate:
    • Lakshmi.N B. (Now Optics)
    • Tony Casciotta (Broward College)
    • Ely Garcia (Cisneros)
    • Mark Moch (American Oncology Network)

“Being a finalist for the SouthFlorida CIO ORBIE awards is a recognition of the entire team and the work they have delivered through our digital transformation agenda over the last 5 years. This journey has been delivered with great quality and is driving enormous value for the company,” said Kevin Grayling, CIO of Florida Crystals and one of the 2023 finalists told South Florida Tech Hub,

It is because this award is judged by our peers that sets it apart from others.

Winners will be announced at the CIO ORBIE Awards on June 9, 2023 at the The Diplomat Beach Resort.

 

Check out highlights from the South Florida CIO ORBIE Awards 200 here —>>> https://sofloridacio.org/awards#highlights

 

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07
Mar, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

9 South Florida & Treasure Coast companies honored at GrowFL Awards 2023

Read Time 4 Minutes

GrowFL recently awarded the 50 companies selected as 12th Annual GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch Honorees and 9 of them came from South Florida and the Treasure Coast region!

The awards program – now in its twelfth year – honors impressive second-stage companies from throughout the state for developing valuable products and services, creating quality jobs, enriching communities, and broadening new industries throughout Florida. The 12th Annual GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch awards celebration is brought to you by Nperspective CFO & Strategic Services, in association with the Edward Lowe Foundation. 

Companies to Watch was developed by the Edward Lowe Foundation as a unique way to recognize and honor second-stage companies that demonstrate high performance in the marketplace with innovative strategies and processes. In addition to evaluating past growth and projected success, applicant companies are judged according to their special strengths and impact in their markets, communities, and within the state – thus deeming them worth watching. 

66 finalists were announced last year, and the 50 honorees were selected after a final round of judging by a panel comprised of past honorees, economic development leaders and corporate partners of GrowFL. Companies were judged on a number of criteria including growth in number of employees; impact of the business in the job market; increase in sales and/or unit volume; current and past financial reports; innovativeness of the product or service; response to adversity; and contributions to aid community-oriented projects. 

“GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch was designed to celebrate the spirit of entrepreneurship and to shine a spotlight on the most deserving companies,” said Jennifer Taylor, president, and CEO of GrowFL. “This year’s honoree span 21 different counties, represent 22 different industries and 50% of them are woman, veteran, or minority owned. This diverse group of honorees can only mean one thing – Florida is the place where entrepreneurs thrive!” 

Since the first awards celebration in 2011, GrowFL has honored 550 companies from throughout Florida with this prestigious award. With this year’s honorees, GrowFL has now recognized 600 companies throughout the state that are making a positive impact on the economy and the communities in which they live. Many of the past honorees have now grown their companies to stage 3 and stage 4 businesses employing more than 500. 

“These are some of the most vibrant and dedicated entrepreneurs in our state. They are the champions that keep our communities strong by stimulating the economy, keeping the workforce employed, and giving back in ways that will change the course of our state for years to come. Like all the classes before them, this class of GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch honorees truly embody success and I know they’re only getting started,” said Dr. Tom O’Neal, GrowFL founder. 

To qualify for the award, companies must be headquartered in Florida and have between 6 and 150 and revenue between $750,000 and $100 million. From 2018 through 2021, these companies generated $1 billion in revenue and added 881 employees, reflecting a 96% increase in revenue and a 104% increase in jobs for the four-year period. That translates into a 24% average annual revenue growth and a 26% average annual growth in employees. 

These companies projected continued growth in 2022, with a 40% revenue increase and a 20% growth in employees compared to 2021. If their projections hold, these companies will have generated $1.5 billion in revenue and added 1,233 employees over the last five years — a 174% increase in revenue and 146% increase in jobs since 2018. 

Below is the list of the 12th Annual GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch Honorees from South Florida & Treasure Coast:

  • 2TON Agency | Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services  (Palm Beach)
  • Affinity Management Services | Management Consulting Services (Miami-Dade)
  • Bug Bite Thing | Retail Trade (St. Lucie)
  • Casabianca Home | Wholesale Trade (Miami-Dade)
  • Earth And Sugar LLC | Wholesale Trade (Palm Beach)
  • FloSpine LLC | Scientific Research and Development (Palm Beach)
  • Misfits Gaming Group | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (Palm Beach)
  • Pharma Natural Inc. | Manufacturing (Miami-Dade)
  • Sloane Staffing | workforce staffing (Palm Beach)

One of those companies, Sloane Staffing, specializes in filling Marketing Technology, Digital Marketing, SaaS Sales, and Technology positions. The were founded in Palm Beach County in 2018. From 2018 – 2021, the company saw a 91% increase in revenue and 300% increase in employee growth.

When asked what’s his advice for entrepreneurs, Founder & President, Max Spanier, told GrowFL “Take the leap. It’s going to be scary. It’s going to be tough. You’re going to be anxious. You’ll probably get anxiety even if you’ve never had anxiety. But, if you have a good idea, why not give it a try? Otherwise, you might go through your whole life wondering what if. Failing at something is way better than never doing something.”

To read Sloane Staffing’s full interview with GrowFL, click here. 

 

 

 

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30
Jan, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

What Does 2023 Have in Store? A Review of New Technology Trends.

Read Time 4 Minutes

As January draws to a close, most of us have settled back into our daily routines. While 2022 was a year of transition, we believe 2023 will usher in new opportunities — and new challenges. Rick Mancinelli, Founder & CEO of C3 Complete, gives us a look into what 2023 might look like.

Rick Mancinelli is the CEO of C3 Complete, a technology consultancy he founded in 2009. He has nearly 30 years of experience in all phases of information technology management, including software development, network architecture, and corporate IT management.

Rick gives us insight into:

  • The Future of Work
  • The Future of Security
  • The Future of Cloud Services
  • The Future of Mobility
  • The Future of Computing
  • The Future of the Economy

The Future of Work

The Covid-19 pandemic resulted in an unprecedented transition for the global workforce. Work-from-home technologies such as web and video conferencing, virtual desktops, zero trust network access, and Hosted PBX solutions grew rapidly both in use and functionality. In 2022, with the Covid-19 virus better understood, workers began to take their first steps back into the office environment.

As 2023 begins, we believe this will be the year that determines the very future of how we work. While the technologies mentioned above are surely here to stay, it will be those that learn to truly capitalize on their potential that will ultimately have the greatest success. The question for you is, how can your organization leverage these technologies to achieve your goals?

This is an especially important question when placed against the backdrop of exactly how employees will work in the future. Are employees working from home for good, headed back to work full-time, or going hybrid? Will there be a mass callback to the office? Most importantly, how do forward-thinking organizations secure, support, and manage the new extended office environment?

The Future of Security

A lot has changed in the security arena, as well. As emerging threats become more sophisticated, so too are the tools used to keep you safe. The traditional VPN has given way to ZTNA; SD-WAN is fast becoming SASE. Cybercriminals are leveraging AI (artificial intelligence) to construct and deploy new and never-before-seen malware, while leading security vendors leverage the same AI to defend against them.

Even Uncle Sam is paying attention to Information Security now. Recent changes to Federal Trade Commission policy pose major ramifications for any business that fails to safeguard consumer information. Even if you run Mary Lou’s flower shop down the street, you can be fined — maybe enough to put you out of business. With a maximum fine of $11,000 per day per occurrence of non-compliance, and up to $43,000 per day per consent violation, the risk is very real. Can your business afford to be exposed to this level of risk? Do you have the right security strategy in place to minimize these new threats?

For these reasons — as well as a litany of additional security threats — the trend of double-digit growth in cybersecurity spending will likely continue. In fact, it’s not unusual for us to see customers budgeting twice as much on security services in 2023 as they did in 2022. This is particularly true as remote work continues to entrench as the new normal, and cloud-based services continue their massive year-over-year growth.

The Future of Cloud Services

Despite the growth of Cloud, we’re seeing some pullback from the big public Cloud services. While “Big Cloud” is still growing hand over fist, some customers are exploring the many benefits of alternative cloud services. Other customers, driven by regulatory requirements, performance issues, and as a mechanism to control Cloud Sprawl, have begun to explore data repatriation: moving data back to on-premise or collocation-based systems.

Enter the new “Multi-Cloud” paradigm, where the question is no longer to Cloud or not to Cloud, but rather which type of Cloud(s) is right for your organization? Public? Private? Hybrid? Big Cloud? Alternative Cloud? Moreover, is your technology partner equipped to have this conversation and provide the guidance you need?

 

To read Rick’s insights into The Future of Mobility, Computing, and the Economy, click here.

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