South Florida Tech HubSouth Florida Tech Hub
17
Feb, 2024

By Nikki Cabus

AEXLAB’s VAIL VR Launches on Meta Quest Store after successful $5 million raise

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AEXLAB announced the launch of its highly anticipated VAIL VR game on Meta Quest.

The Miami-based startup, AEXLAB, is a virtual reality studio committed to creating meaningful technologies for gaming, simulation, social experiences, and more. VAIL VR is a first-person multiplayer shooter designed to revolutionize the VR gaming landscape with its dynamic gameplay and immersive social interactions, delivering unparalleled combat.

Set against a backdrop of a future Earth divided between the Colonists and the REYAB Corporation, this conflict sets the stage for strategic teamplay and dynamic, immersive battles. While the lore enriches the game’s universe, the heart of VAIL lies in its player-driven competition of tactical gunplay and combat, where strategy, skill, and teamwork pave the way to victory. VAIL VR focuses on tactical gunplay and combat, promoting team-based action requiring teamwork to achieve victory.

Co-founded in 2015 by brothers Jonathan and Albert Ovadia as a passion project, AEXLAB is a virtual reality studio on a mission to create meaningful technologies for gaming, simulation and social experiences. The team shifted their focus from VR experiences in music to gaming in 2017. AEXLAB is leading the market with the development of cutting-edge software utilizing virtual reality technology to provide gamers with high-quality and immersive interactions.

In October 2022, AEXLAB held a major tournament for their new competitive VR game VAIL VR. The event ran for six weeks, with over 200 teams battling it out online to secure their spot in the LAN Finals held in Miami. Superblue Miami, an illustrious digital art gallery, partnered with the event to allow attendees to enjoy a full day of activities, with all the live matches showcased alongside several world-renowned artists’ work. With the official esports league launch in 2023, AEXLAB wanted to bring together the top creators, players, and brands in the VR community under one roof to foster a new era of gaming events. It is planned to be a continued annual event hosted across different cities worldwide to showcase the exciting world of competitive VR.

The event saw esports leaders and respected VR brands come together to share an event of competitive VR gaming with both a tournament and convention-style atmosphere. Activations from brands such as Smash Drums, Redpill, bHaptics, and many more were in attendance, allowing people to interact with esteemed VR brands. Entertainment was also provided thanks to the DJ and Youtuber, Thrillseeker, who played a set during the halftime show.

Initially introduced in November 2022 on SteamVR as an Early Access title and later on Meta Quest 2, 3, and Pro via the Meta App Lab, VAIL VR has undergone seven years of meticulous development and community-driven iterations. Now, stepping out of its early access phase, VAIL VR will be available for $29.99 USD, marking a significant milestone in the VR gaming industry.

“The journey of bringing VAIL VR to life has been nothing short of exhilarating. We are thrilled to finally unveil the culmination of years of hard work and dedication to the VR community, said Jonathan Ovadia, CEO of AEXLAB, a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree. “With VAIL VR, we aim to deliver an immersive gaming experience that pushes the boundaries of virtual reality.”

VAIL VR 1.0 introduces Quick Play matchmaking, enabling players to seamlessly join games and enjoy the thrill of competition without delay. The new progression system, ranging from levels 0 to 50, rewards players with not just weapons, sights, and emblems but also exclusive weapon and character skins, adding layers of customization and strategy. Additionally, VAIL now integrates leaderboards and comprehensive stats tracking, challenging players to ascend daily, weekly, and all-time rankings, showcasing their prowess and progress in the VAIL universe.

“Launching on the Meta Quest App is an important milestone for the groundbreaking team at AEXLAB. There’s nothing like VAIL VR out there on the market,” says Jeff Ransdell, Founder and Managing Director at Fuel Venture Capital.

The founders decided to go all-in and full-time on development, and in 2021 they launched an equity crowdfunding campaign. More than 1,500 people, many of them gamers, invested $2.5 million.

Following the crowdfunding success, Fuel Venture Capital led the $5 million Series A round which closed in the summer of 2023. The funds allowed the AEXLAB founders to to scale up their development team as they prepared to launch VAIL VR. The round also included real estate developer Craig Robins, as well as crypto investors Loomdart of eGirl Capital, Subversive Capital, and Valor Equity Partners.

You can start playing now here.

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15
Feb, 2024

By Nikki Cabus

CommerceTech platform smartBeemo receives $6 million in funding to support Latino online businesses

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smartBeemo received $6 million in funding to continue their mission of supporting the growth of Latin eCommerce businesses. 

Founded in 2014, smartBeemo is a CommerceTech platform dedicated to assisting Latin individuals in launching and growing their own ECommerce stores. Through education, community engagement, access to solutions, and direct access to China, the company has served over 100,000 paying users to date. They are striving to play a significant role in e-commerce in Latin America.

Targeting entrepreneurs, professionals in business with digital presence, and marketing students, smartBeemo offers education solutions through online courses and diplomas, virtual and face-to-face events, digital and printed books and business consultancies. 

On February 12th, SmartBeemo announced their pre-Series A funding round that closed Dec 2023. The company was able to raise $6 million with Redwood Ventures leading the round. The round included nine different investors including existing Redwood Ventures, Simma Capital, and New Ventures, but also new investors Aluna Partners, EaglePoint Capital, Angel Hub, Impact Ventures, Promotora Social México, and RGMA Holdings de Multifamily EPC.

The Latin American-born company began in Colombia, South America and now has a Miami presence having gone through the Endeavor ScaleUP program. ScaleUp is an initiative by Endeavor, a global organization that supports high-impact entrepreneurs in 40+ countries. Endeavor ScaleUp is a cohort-based initiative that equips high-growth founders in Florida with the network and resources to gain clarity on their path to scale.

Endeavor ScaleUP participant, Michel Edery, Co-founder & CEO of smartBeemo, wanted to leverage the Spanish language for the good and bringing a ray of hope for the Latin Americans. In a world where English is in a class of its own, there are people who are still having a hard time understanding the language, and in turn, it acts as the major barrier in their learning process. Michel recognized this problem and developed smartBeemo only for such people, breaking the language barriers that affect their learning.

In an Endeavor Miami podcast episode, Michael shared his experience growing his company, the insights he’s gained by being part of an entrepreneurial community, and the happiness that comes from doing what he loves. He spoke of how he belives that humans are always building stating that “We as human beings always need to work on something and build something. There are people who build gardens [his neighbor] and there’s people who build companies. I build companies.” You can listen in to the full conversation here.

Michael had previously shared how business is booming in Latin America and that the pandemic forced people to look to the internet allowing them the knowledge of how easy it can be to connect and even launch their own ecommerce businesses. He stated, “Over here, there is a bridge between e-commerce and digital marketing major due to the language barriers as all the great content out there is in English. But now I think people are starting to learn and understand more about social media, e-commerce and I can now see thousands of people launching their businesses.”

According to statista.com, Latin America harbors more than 300 million digital buyers, a figure forecast to grow by more than 20 percent by 2027.

Although e-commerce adoption in this part of the world is still lower than in other regions, online retail sales in Latin America were estimated at nearly 168 billion U.S. dollars in 2022 and set to account for almost 20 percent of total retail by 2026. On a regional level, Brazil and Mexico are vying for the lead, each accounting for close to 30 percent of the Latin American e-commerce market. However, other economies such as Argentina, Colombia, and Peru have been drawing increasing attention due to their swift growth.

To learn more about smartBeemo, visit www.smartbeemo.com

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11
Feb, 2024

By Nikki Cabus

A Small Startup with Big Backing is Betting it can Fix Clinical Trials and has Issued a Challenge to Find Out

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Modern Trials®, a startup aiming to transform clinical trial-patient matching, is collaborating with leading healthcare technology provider InterSystems® by issuing a challenge to assess Modern Trials’ EHR-based recruitment relative to current recruitment methods.

Co-founded in 2019 by Dr. Christopher Ochner, Modern Trials aims to match patients with clinical trials that could potentially save their life by connecting patients in need of advanced treatment options through democratizing access to clinical trials. They ingest the healthcare organization’s patient data and then make it searchable for their life science customers, clinical trial managers, in a private and secure manner.

Modern Trials is preparing a $2.4M NIH grant application that requires a healthcare organization partner with clinical trials to execute a Data Use Agreement to test grant aims.The challenge will be a head-to-head comparison to see which method results in more enrollees, more enrollees in traditionally underrepresented groups, more representative samples, and higher completion rates. Financial compensation will be provided to the partner healthcare organization.

“Grants like this are vital to provide the support necessary to determine, with real world data, the best method of democratizing access to advanced therapeutics. Until now, fewer than 15% of patients in need have had access to such opportunities,” Dr. Christopher Ochner told South Florida Tech Hub.

“Modern Trials extends its gratitude to South Florida’s Tech Hub’s ongoing support as we aim to bring these opportunities to all patients no matter who or where they are.”

The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announced October 2023 that it will take action to improve the nation’s ability to conduct clinical trials safely, quickly, and equitably and to improve clinical trial access for people in communities across the country as the first initiative within the recently launched ARPANET-H Health Innovation Network.

The goal of Advancing Clinical Trial Readiness (ACTR) is to enable 90% of all eligible Americans to take part in a clinical trial within a half hour of their home. To do so, ACTR will leverage the nationwide capabilities and reach of the ARPANET-H Customer Experience Hub by pursuing activities with a diverse array of stakeholders in order to advance, integrate, and extend clinical trial capabilities that overcome challenges in evaluating new technologies, therapies, and platforms.

“Clinical trials are essential to evaluating potentially life-saving breakthroughs and getting them to patients, including in times of rapid response, such as during national emergencies,” said ARPA-H Director Renee Wegrzyn, Ph.D.

“The Advancing Clinical Trial Readiness initiative activates the ARPANET-H health innovation network as we work with organizations from across the country to advance technologies and insights to create a robust national clinical trial infrastructure.”

Working together with patient volunteers, clinical trials help researchers understand what treatments work, gathering a variety of data to help identify better ways to improve patients’ health. Yet many challenges in conducting clinical trials are slowing the speed at which new treatments can get to patients, such as lack of interoperability across electronic health records, enrollment processes that can lead to non-representative study populations, complex study protocols, lack of access to people living in certain parts of the United States, and the myriad and inconsistent variables involved in running trials in real-world settings, or the cost in running trials in controlled settings.

ACTR will work with groups across the country, including innovators, industry, patients, academia, hospital centers, community health centers, and non-traditional partners, such as retail pharmacies or home health innovators, to build faster, less expensive trials with decentralized processes. The effort will also build trials that operate closer to, or at, points of care and are representative of our nation’s geography, age, gender, race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic groups.

“Recent advances in technologies, including artificial intelligence, digital health technologies, and machine learning — along with open standards — enable new opportunities to increase the speed, improve access, and expand the diversity of clinical trials,” said ARPA-H Resilient Systems Mission Office Director Jennifer Roberts, Ph.D.

“Through this effort, we want to develop novel innovations to distribute common protocols across many more locations so that we can change the current paradigm and open the door to faster, cheaper, and more representative trials.”

Modern Trials offers a strong business justification for data use under the auspice of a National Institute of Health (NIH) grant project. Formal security review, Data Use Agreement (DUA), and Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs) will stipulate that data will be used only to complete project aims and destroyed upon completion (1.5-2y).

Some of the partnership requirements are:

  • Healthcare system with at least 1M patient records in their electronic health record system
  • 1,000 active clinical trials
  • Systems located anywhere throughout the United States

With millions actively seeking answers, Modern Trials is on a mission to connect patients with the life-changing potential of clinical trials. Modern Trials is betting it can fix clinical trials!

Click here for more information on the Modern Trials Challenge and NIH Proposal Partnership Details.

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10
Feb, 2024

By Nikki Cabus

StatusPRO announces $20M Series A Round Led by GV to Continue Revolutioning Sports Through XR

Read Time 5 Minutes

StatusPRO, Inc. announced $20 million in new funding, one of the largest Series A of any VR gaming company to date, led by GV (Google Ventures).

The Miami-based StatusPRO is a sports technology and gaming company that uses real-time player data to create authentic extended reality experiences using technologies such as augmented, mixed, and virtual reality. The company provides a suite of training and gaming products that revolutionize the way coaches, players, and fans experience their favorite sport. StatusPRO is minority-owned and led, where almost half of its employees in the United States are former athletes.

StatusPRO’s ties to the NFL and the NFLPA began in its club locker rooms when co-founders and former elite football players Troy Jones and Andrew (Hawk) Hawkins had a vision to develop Pre Game Prep, a tool that would bring the brand’s proprietary technology to NFL teams with the goal of improving the athlete training experience, which is now being utilized by NFL teams. The company’s investors include notables such as Naomi Osaka, LeBron James, Maverick Carter, Paul Wachter, Drake, Lamar Jackson, along with investment groups Greycroft, TitletownTech, Verizon Ventures, Haslam Sports Group, 49ers Enterprises KB Partners, and SC Holdings.

StatusPRO is joining Google Ventures‘ investment portfolio of successful tech, healthcare, and consumer companies, asserting its spot as a standout and growing VR company in the space. GV provides venture capital funding to bold new companies. Across the fields of life science, enterprise technology, consumer products and services, and frontier technology, GV’s portfolio companies aim to improve lives and transform industries. GV’s team of world-class engineers, designers, physicians, scientists, marketers, and investors work together to provide startups with exceptional support. Launched as Google Ventures in 2009, GV is the venture capital arm of Alphabet, Inc. GV helps startups interface with Google, providing unique access to the world’s best technology and talent. GV has over $8 billion under management.

“No matter if its virtual reality or spatial computing, our vision at StatusPRO is to define first-person sports and deliver experiences that truly embody the emotion, competition and sense of community that comes with being a professional athlete,” said Troy Jones, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of StatusPRO. “The investment from GV, Dream, and all other syndicates in the round, further validates the opportunity to leverage emerging technology to innovate the way fans interact with their favorite sports and define a new form of engagement that brings current and future fans closer to the game.”

After two years of laying a foundation in the sports gaming industry and establishing a new genre, first-person sports, StatusPRO will use the additional capital to broaden development into new sports titles while continuing to enhance its modes and features and further improve its cutting-edge technology. The round includes additional funding from India’s renowned sports-tech giant Dream Sports, Minnesota Vikings Owners Mark & Zygi Wilf’s Wise Ventures, JDS Sports, and Alumni Ventures, with participation from existing investors including LeBron James, Drake, Maverick Carter, Main Street Advisors, Haslam Sports Group and more.

In 2022, the Black-founded StatusPRO launched the first-ever NFL and NFLPA-licensed virtual reality (VR) simulation gaming franchise, NFL PRO ERA, and made its mark on the sports gaming category by allowing players to experience what it feels like to be on the field playing as QB of their favorite NFL team. This immersive, first-person simulation brings fans closer to the gridiron by giving them a professional football player’s perspective through VR technology. Last October, the franchise, which highlighted NFL MVP and All Pro QB Lamar Jackson as its cover athlete, saw an evolution that introduced new features such as head-to-head multiplayer gameplay so players could interact, connect, and compete against one another in the virtual world.

NFL PRO ERA is one of the most successful sports franchises in VR history. Since launch, StatusPRO has garnered over 1,000,000 users and players have spent an average of 41 minutes in game, estimated to be 2x longer compared to VR industry averages. As one of the top VR studios, StatusPRO has not only produced the fastest selling sports title in VR history but is a top title on the Meta Quest platform (top 10 in sales). NFL PRO ERA is among the most successful Black-founded gaming franchises ever.

Other substantial new investments came from a diverse group of athletes, entertainers, firms, and industry leaders including Myles Garrett, David Grutman, Bobby Wagner, Jeff Stibel, Peter Delgrosso, Cameron Jordan, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Crystal Hayslett, Devale Ellis, TitletownTech, Black Angel Group, Life Line Family Heritage Fund, Sun Technology Investors, Andre Gaines of Cinemation Studios, and the Fuller Brothers of 6408 Ventures, among others.

“StatusPRO is building the next generation of sports and gaming entertainment through cutting-edge virtual reality. The company’s unique technology-driven approach and meaningful partnerships have resulted in strong early growth and product traction,” said M.G Siegler, Venture Partner at GV. “Troy Jones and Andrew Hawkins have built an impressive team and track record of execution in a short time, and we’re thrilled to support StatusPRO as they move the VR gaming industry forward.”

VR gaming continues to grow in popularity. The global VR gaming market is projected to grow from $7.92 billion in 2021 to $53.44 billion in 2028 at a CAGR of 31.4% in forecast period 2021-2028 period. With this projected growth, StatusPRO prepares for ongoing customer acquisition and retention while continuing to solidify the company as the innovative leader redefining the sports gaming world and eyeing global expansion in the sports VR market with a focus on future sports IP.

“As a former professional athlete, working with a dedicated team of people who have all participated in sports and worked for years across the sports business industry at a high level, we understand what it takes to compete and win,” said Andrew Hawkins, co-founder and President of StatusPRO. “We believe that VR is the innovative answer to help allow fans globally to see and experience what it’s like to be a Pro. This is just the beginning for StatusPRO and paves the way for us to enter additional sectors of sports VR, opening doors for us to explore other professional sports avenues and teams.”

StatusPRO’s NFL PRO ERA is available on the Meta Quest, Official PlayStation™, Pico, and Steam Store.

For more information on StatusPRO, please visit https://www.status.pro

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02
Feb, 2024

By Nikki Cabus

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sign up now and get 1 month free!

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01
Feb, 2024

By Nikki Cabus

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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01
Feb, 2024

By Nikki Cabus

Break Through Tech at FIU places 25 interns at American Express

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Posted with permission from Break Through Tech Miami

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19
Jan, 2024

By Nikki Cabus

Guest Blog: Digital Transformation South Florida Style at TECHpalooza

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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19
Jan, 2024

By Nikki Cabus

Boca Raton-based New World Angels invests $700k in Miami’s Fuego dance shoes

Read Time 3 Minutes

New World Angels (NWA), Florida’s premier structured angel investment group, announced that it completed an approximately $700,000 investment into Fuego, Inc., as part of a $2.5 million capital raise. The additional funding provides capital for Fuego to continue its successful new product development efforts and global expansion.

New World Angels (NWA) is a group of 100+ accredited, private investors, operators and entrepreneurs dedicated to providing equity capital and guidance to early-stage entrepreneurial companies, especially those with a strong presence in Florida. Members of NWA have extensive experience in founding, building, and managing companies in a wide variety of industries. NWA members are involved in the entrepreneurial communities from Miami to Melbourne on Florida’s east coast and from Naples to Orlando on Florida’s west coast. NWA has invested over $30 million in innovative start-ups. In addition to providing funding, NWA members make their expertise and resource networks available to portfolio companies to facilitate a company’s growth.

Fuego is a global, tech-enabled dance-inspired athleisure and lifestyle brand providing patented sneakers worn by dancers in 120 countries around the world. Its sole technology is engineered for dancing and spinning on any surface as well. It serves a large and growing market of people of all ages enjoying dancing across all formats, including Hip-Hop, Ballroom, Salsa, Dance fitness, Swing, Ballet, Jazz, and more.

Designed in collaboration with Jade Chynoweth, world-renowned dancer, actress and social media sensation, the Jade X Fuego show is eco-friendly sneaker features a raw Jade stone and a knit fabric texture made from recycled plastic water bottles. It’s the shoe that went viral and really put Fuego on the map.

The investment reflects NWA’s interest in supporting new business opportunities for exciting new consumer products, a driving force in economies throughout the world. Ken Wilkes, lead of the Consumer Products team at NWA, commented that “The investment in Fuego is a great example of our investment thesis. We focus on consumer product start-ups in-revenue experiencing strong growth and high customer satisfaction, with a focus on wellness, sports, and leisure.

He continued “Consumer products and services are quickly evolving with changes in tastes and preferences, providing abundant opportunities for new products and businesses. Speed to market is accelerating, adoption of new technologies is disrupting established Go-To-Market approaches and providing great efficiencies, and innovation is rampant. Focused product offerings and identifiable customer segments are good, getting personal is important, and providing for interconnectivity is value-added. Fuego is a great example.”

Ron Tarro, President of NWA, commented “We are excited to add Fuego to our portfolio, especially as it marks another NWA investment in this area of focus for our organization. We will continue to look for investment opportunities that allow NWA to leverage its deep well of member experience and talent to assess investments and guide our portfolio founders toward growth.”

Fuego CEO Kevin Weschler noted, “It was a pleasure to work with the NWA team, especially as they brought an understanding of our business and insights on meeting the challenges and opportunities of growth, including global expansion. We are delighted that Ken Wilkes will join our board as an observer and share his experience as we continue to grow our company domestically and abroad for the benefit of all of our stakeholders.”

Click here to learn more about Fuego.

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03
Dec, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

Things To Do: Top 10 events during Miami Art Week that showcase tech in South Florida

Read Time 5 Minutes

As Miami Art Week takes over the city, South Florida’s technology enthusiasts search for the best happenings in town that combine both technology and the arts and culture worlds.

According to the official Miami Art Week website, “Each year during Miami Art Week, Miami and Miami Beach are the center of the art world and host over 20 art fairs, over 1,200 galleries and thousands of artists and art lovers.” The mission of the organization is to promote and support artists, galleries and arts organizations providing access and the chance to be discovered. With the tech and art worlds colliding, new opportunities arise for both communities looking to collaborate and learn from each other.

We searched through tons of events for you all happening December 3rd – 10th and chose the top 10 just for you.

1. December 4 @ 7:30 PM: Miami MoCAAD Soul Basel Kickoff – “This Life: Black Life in the Time of Now” (FREE)

The Miami Museum of Contemporary Art of the African Diaspora will celebrate the documentary and digital exhibition “This Life: Black Life in the Time of Now.”  Through augmented and virtual reality experiences,  live performances, film Screening and a virtual museum showcase, the exhibition will will showcase black life in today’s world. The event will also feature a panel titled “Creative Conversation: Exploring the Vision.” The free event can be attended virtually or in person. More info here. 

2. December 5 @ 1:00 PM: Art + Tech Summit – Bringing Together Creators, Collectors and Industry Leaders

The Art+Tech Summit is a one-day event that explores the role and impact of emerging technologies in the art, entertainment, and consumer sectors. A meet and greet will take place at noon just prior to the event. The Art + Tech Summit will then feature speakers, conversation and a VIP mixer. The event will be held in the Arts & Entertainment District, but you must apply to attend. Details on the exact location will be revealed upon approval. More info here.

3. December 5 @ 4:00 PM: The Future is Immersive : A Fusion of Art, Tech, and Visionaries featuring “Meet the Drapers” 

Proudly presented by industry leaders, this exclusive gathering promises an immersive blend of technology, innovation, art, and unparalleled networking opportunities. VIP passes allow you the opportunity to rub shoulders with industry influencers and visionaries in the realms of technology, art, and finance. The event holds a special connection to “The Drapers,” adding an extra layer of excitement to an already extraordinary evening. Don’t miss out on this unique convergence of technology and creativity. More info here.

4. December 5 @ 7:00 PM: Miami Tech + Startups Party 

Join the special edition of Miami Tech + Startups as they invite special guest speaker Maja Vujinovic, Managing Director & Investor in FinTech & Digital Assets @ OGroup, to join the conversation. Maja focused on investments and scale of technology tools such as AI and blockchain and bridging a gap between legacy systems and web 3 tools. OGroup is also partnered with number of family offices helping them navigate emerging tech, acquisitions and implementation of generative AI and smart contracts. Tech, Drinks, and Startups in Brickell. The event’s goal is to be a catalyst, a way for you to meet fun and interesting people in Miami’s Tech Scene. More info here.

5. December 6 – 10: Code/Art’s The Student Digital Art Exhibit 

Held at the Context Art Miami, the Student Digital Art Exhibit is a culmination of months of hard work and dedication by Code/Art students who competed in the CodeYourSelf™ competition (through various years). The pieces on display showcase their innovative use of computer programming to express their artistic visions, and we believe you will be captivated by the depth and creativity of their work. Exhibiting hours are from Wednesday-Saturday, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. More info here.

6. December 6 @ 6:00 PM: Miami Tech Together with Microsoft (FREE)

Held at the Miami College Idea Center, this Microsoft Art Basel event for nonprofits will explore how technology, art, and philanthropy can work together to empower your organization. Take part in a showcase of Microsoft’s tools and resources designed to empower nonprofits, an innovative networking experience with Tech Together Networking Station, the “Yeah Art Installation,” featuring thought-provoking works like “It Was All a Dream” & “Dream City”,” and a compelling panel discussion on “The Future of Digital Philanthropy,” where tech meets art and altruism. More info here.

7. December 7 & 8: Digital Art Collectors Preview by BlackDove (FREE)

This 2-day digital art event will be held in the Miami Art District. Meet the top artists, collectors, and curators during Art Week Miami at this dedicated digital art event. The events kicks off with an Artist Breakfast and closes out with a “Digital Canvas Technologies Deep Dive” where industry experts will dissect state-of-the-art software, pioneering hardware, and emerging trends. From speakers, panels, and talks around generative art, digital art, and even art in commercial and healthcare spaces, this event has something for everyone. More info here.

 8. December 7 @ 5:00 PM: Canvas and Capital: Interactive Investor Dinner

Hosted by BLCK VC and in partnership with Silicon Valley Bank, this extraordinary evening of immersive experiences and meaningful connections will be held as an exclusive salon-style dinner. Amidst the artistic ambiance of Miami Art Basel, prepare to indulge your senses in an interactive art installation and groove to the beats of a talented DJ during dinner. Spaces are limited, and applying to this event does not guarantee your spot. More info here.

9. December 8 @ 4:00 PM: TFAPOPUP MIAMI 2023: Art x Innovation Day

Get ready to immerse yourself in a day of creativity, inspiration, and artistry that you won’t find anywhere else. TFAPOPUP Miami 2023 transcends traditional art exhibitions. It’s a vibrant celebration of artistic expression and a platform for emerging talents. At its core lies the TFA Young Curators Program, empowering emerging artists from around the world with the art of business and creative placemaking. Featuring gallery hours from 4pm-12 am and panel discussion on “The Ethics & Social Implications of AI-Generated Art” at 5:30 pm, this evet promises to be transformative and inclusive. More info here.

10. December 10 @ 2:00 PM: Vibration Revelation – Guided VR Art Meditation Experience

Embark on an immersive guided VR meditation art experience and awaken your imagination. Flow through mystical realms inspired by nature’s wisdom, offering an illuminated inner journey of revelations, as you reconnect with the boundless magic of existence. Alissa Christine, a pioneer in virtual reality art, and author of “i love miami 365,” photo documentary of gratitude, merges wellness with new media. Alissa creates immersive meditative story-telling experiences inside her illuminated 3D VR paintings, complimenting her Healing Arts practices for over 15 years. With a two-decade art career, her work has graced global galleries, including VR/AR Cryptoart Metaverses, local exhibitions during Art Basel Miami, and she’s contributed to magazines like Ocean Drive’s Art Basel Mag. More info here.

 

Is there an amazing Art + Tech Week event that you think we missed? Submit your event here.

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30
Nov, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

Las Olas Venture Capital announced their latest investment in Miami startup Letterhead

Read Time 4 Minutes

Las Olas Venture Capital, or “LOVC,” has announced their latest investment in a South Florida startup – Letterhead.

LOVC is an early-stage venture fund investing in B2B software companies based in the Eastern US. Founded in 2016 by former entrepreneurs and headquartered in Florida, LOVC is now investing out of its $50M Fund II and typically leads $3–7M rounds with $1.5–2.5M checks in businesses with early commercial signals of product-market fit (typically $200K+ ARR). Their low-frequency and high-conviction investment approach (3-5 companies per year) allows us to be deeply collaborative and hands-on with the founders we partner with.

Miami-based Letterhead is a software platform for automating the creation and management of email newsletters, streamlining newsletter creation, distribution, and monetization for publishers and marketing teams to help produce meaningful content at scale. The company aims to revolutionize newsletter content automation. The company was founded in 2020 by Rebekah Monson, Bruce Pinchbeck, and Christopher Sopher.

“Rebekah and Chris have brought a unique content-centric perspective to the world of email communication, building a compelling solution for organizations of all sizes to leverage the power of personalization to communicate on the most enduring first-party channels there is,” said Sim Blaustein, Partner at BDMI.

Leveraging AI, Letterhead empowers users to manage multiple newsletters with the workflow of one, improving efficiency and scalability while retaining the ability to create quality, personalized, and bespoke products. Letterhead’s software works with a customer’s existing content management system and email service provider, enabling any company to use its tools with minimal switching costs.

“Our vision is to help every company engage their audiences with meaningful media content,” said Christopher Sopher, co-founder and CEO of Letterhead. “As changes to cookies and privacy rules make owning your audience more critical than ever, we think it should be way easier for teams to create quality content products for every segment of their community. Our first step is making it possible for any business to create great newsletters in a fraction of the time.”

Letterhead is trusted by the publishers of over 1,800 newsletters, indicating a strong market fit and demand for more intelligent audience engagement software. Customers include leading brands like Techstars and Salon.

The $5.3 million seed funding round, led by LOVC, is joined by Reign Ventures with participation from BDMI, Florida Opportunity Fund, and McClatchy. Letterhead will use the fresh infusion of capital to continue developing the platform, expand the team, and accelerate growth as it continues to innovate how newsletters are produced and managed. 

The Letterhead investment serves at LOVC’s 26th portfolio company and the 5th one for the 2023 year. 25 of the companies are currently active and the 26th being an exit. 20% of the active portfolio companies are in the state of Florida. LOVC currently has one additional deal expected to close soon and a second pending. 2023 was a big year for the firm and they expect to grow even more into 2024!

The Letterhead team is looking to make some critical hires across product, engineering and sales. Interested parties, can check out LOVC’s Portfolio Jobs & Careers Page and apply to the positions that match your qualifications at any of their portfolio companies.

“While there are many traditional email marketing products, none are focused on content-driven engagement like Letterhead is,” said Nate Vasel, partner at LOVC. “We were impressed with the team’s vision for an owned audience future powered by AI and automation and their consistent execution to grow the business.”

Born out of pure necessity, Letterhead is actually a spinoff of a product created for the co-founders other business, WhereBy.Us which launched the local Miami media site, The New Tropic. Once it began focusing on email newsletter formats, the business took off. People would ask about the tools used and ask the team if they could use them. After enough no answers, they decided to find a way to say yes and turn it into a business.

Media companies, nonprofits, higher education institutions, professional associations all began using the Letterhead tool increasing profits through AI, data analytics, integrations and the ability for clients to implement paywalled subsections, newsletters advertisements, easy-to-use templates and more.

To learn more about Letterhead, please visit https://letterhead.ai/

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21
Nov, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

Streann Media Powers the Panamerican Games Connecting 25 Million Hearts and Screens

Read Time 4 Minutes

The world’s third largest multi-sport games, Panam Sports, partnered with Miami’s Streann Media as the official streaming platform for the competition.  

The Panam Sports Channel, powered by Streann, offered nine daily live signals (in English and Spanish) and reached more than 25 million content views through the competitions which were held in Santiago, Chile from October 20th – November 5th. Streann elevated the Panam Games viewing experience to unprecedented heights in 2023 with its revolutionary live multi-screen content experience.

“As Panam Sports we are taking a very important step in this fast-moving digital world. We have made a great investment because we believe it is essential to promote our sport, our athletes and to be able to reach more people throughout our continent,” said Panam Sports President, Neven Ilic.

With efforts to ensure equitable access to the games for all people around the world for free, the sports president took a “big bet” on Streann and it paid off. Just halfway through the games, Neven commented, “The athletes are happy, the response from the public that has packed the venues has been spectacular, and the numbers from the Panam Sports Channel and of our multimedia in general, are surprising.

He continued, “I have asked my team to make every effort to ensure that the Games reach everyone, so that no one is left without the possibility of being informed and enjoying this sports festival. And I think that has been more than fulfilled.”

According to the Olympic committee, the Pan American Games are a continental multi-sport competition for the countries of North America, South America, Central America and the Caribbean. They are the world’s third-largest multi-sport Games, surpassed only in size by the Olympic Summer Games and the Asian Games. More than 6,000 athletes from 41 countries now compete at the Pan American Games.

The Pan American Games include all of the sports and disciplines featured on the summer Olympic program as well as some additional sports governed by international federations that are recognized by the IOC. Some sports and events are direct qualifiers for the next Olympic Summer Games. For this reason, the The Pan American Games are held every four years, in the year prior to the Olympic Summer Games.

“We are receiving great reward from sports lovers across the Americas. Panam Sports has made a great effort to implement a unique Digital Channel across the world, with 9 simultaneous sports signals. It’s a success that forces us to provide the best service and satisfy the tremendous demand we are receiving,” said Panam Sports Broadcast Director, Michael Muller.

The Streann app connected over 25,224,357 viewers from across 43 nations and 141 geographies featuring 425 events in 39 sports which included 6909 athletes. Chile, Mexico and the United States were the top three countries with the most viewers. 59% of viewers were Android users and 35% IOS users. Amazon’s FireTV, followed by Roku and AppleTV were the most used TV app platforms used to stream. With 1.8 million apps in the Apple store, the Panam Sports Channel was the most trending in the Americas making the Streann SaaS platorm #1.

“Being the top trending app in the Americas is a testament to our dedication to excellence and innovation. We are proud to have created a technology that has resonated with users globally, providing them with an unparalleled content experience. This recognition motivates us to continue pushing boundaries and delivering the highest quality service.” commented Gio Punzo, CEO of Streann.

With much pride in his voice and a smile on his face, Gio recounts his experience on his flight back home, “Returning home from the electrifying Panamerican Games, I sat beside an athlete whose silver victory was as much a win for her as it was for her family, watching from miles away through our platform. In that moment, soaring above the clouds, the true impact of Streann Media’s TV 3.0 technology struck me—it wasn’t just about the advanced multi-screen experience or the top-ranking app.”

He boasted, “It was about the 24 million connections we fostered, the countless family moments we facilitated, and the lesser-known sports we brought into the limelight. We didn’t just broadcast games; we delivered emotions, triumphs, and a shared sense of pride across the Americas. This is the power of access; this is the dawn of TV 3.0.”

Streann is the AI-AR Social Interactive TV platform for creators and content providers with patented technologies. Streann transforms the landscape of modern media, leading the convergence of TV 3.0 and the social-first experience. Through a blend of Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality, Social Content, and Real-time Audience Engagement, we redefine the boundaries of storytelling and interactivity across all platforms and screens. In this next-generation media ecosystem, Streann is setting the gold standard by transforming passive viewing into an unparalleled, interactive social journey, facilitating the creation and curation of compelling content, making it effortlessly shareable and customizable. Welcome to the future of entertainment, where every experience is social, personalized, and truly unforgettable. For more information, visit www.streann.com.

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19
Nov, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

Miami’s Cyxtera Receives Court Approval for Sale to Brookfield and Plan of Reorganization

Read Time 3 Minutes

Cyxtera (OTC: CYXTQ) announced that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey has approved the sale of substantially all of the Company’s assets to Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. (NYSE: BIP, TSX: BIP.UN) and its institutional partners (collectively “Brookfield”) and will confirm Cyxtera’s Plan of Reorganization.

Cyxtera is a global leader in colocation, interconnection services, and digital infrastructure. With IT infrastructure becoming increasingly hybrid, complex, and distributed, Cyxtera continues to expand its portfolio beyond space and power to deliver more cloud-like and flexible infrastructure solutions across its global data center platform and robust partner ecosystem. Today, Cyxtera provides more than 2,300 enterprise and government customers with the technology solutions they need to scale faster, achieve financial goals, and gain a competitive advantage.

“We are pleased to be moving forward with our sale to Brookfield, which will provide Cyxtera with additional financial flexibility and enable us to benefit from Brookfield’s global infrastructure expertise,” said Nelson Fonseca, Cyxtera’s Chief Executive Officer.

“Demand for our innovative data center services remains high, and we see significant opportunities ahead with our customers as we enter this next phase of growth.”

As previously announced on November 1, 2023, Cyxtera entered into an asset purchase agreement (“APA”) with Brookfield for a sale of substantially all of the Company’s assets.

Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. is one of the largest owners and operators of critical global infrastructure networks which facilitate the movement and storage of energy, water, freight, passengers and data. The company is one of the few pure play, publicly traded, global infrastructure vehicles that invests in premier infrastructure assets with stable cash flows, high margins and strong growth prospects. With over $850 billion in assets under management, and over 100 years’ experience as an owner and operator, Brookefield puts their capital to work in virtually every transaction.

In connection with the APA, Brookfield entered agreements with certain of the Company’s landlords to purchase the real estate underlying seven of Cyxtera’s U.S. data centers. Additionally, Cyxtera amended the terms of its leases at three U.S. sites and three international sites to allow it to exit those sites in 2024. Collectively, these transactions will strengthen and optimize Cyxtera’s data center portfolio, better positioning it for the long term.

Fonseca continued, “Our partnership with Brookfield will strengthen our business, and we remain committed to ensuring the transition is as seamless as possible for all our stakeholders. We appreciate the continued support of our customers and partners throughout this process, and we thank our employees for their unwavering commitment to serving our customers.”

Cyxtera expects to complete the transaction with Brookfield, subject to regulatory approval and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, and emerge from the court-supervised process in the first quarter of 2024.

Additional information regarding the Company’s court-supervised process is available at www.CyxteraRestructuring.com. Court filings and other information related to the proceedings are available on a separate website administrated by the Company’s claims agent, KCC, at www.kccllc.net/cyxtera; by calling KCC toll-free at (877) 726-6510, or (424) 236-7250 for calls originating outside of the U.S. or Canada; or by emailing KCC at cyxterainfo@kccllc.com.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP is serving as legal counsel to Cyxtera, Guggenheim Securities, LLC is serving as financial advisor, and AlixPartners, LLP is serving as restructuring advisor. Moelis & Co. is serving as exclusive financial advisor to Brookfield on the acquisition of Cyxtera. Wells Fargo and TD Securities are serving as joint financial advisors to Brookfield on the acquisition of the real estate underlying seven Cyxtera data centers and the pro forma combined entity, and are providing committed debt financing for the broader transaction. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is serving as Brookfield’s legal counsel.

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19
Nov, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

Mark Cuban & Anthropocene Ventures Back Climate-Tech Startup, Kind Designs

Read Time 4 Minutes

Renowned entrepreneur and investor Mark Cuban, alongside early stage climate tech VC firm Anthropocene Ventures, has joined Kind Designs’ seed round.

The investment marks a significant milestone for the female-founded climate and construction tech startup, which has experienced exponential growth since its launch in June 2023. The new capital enables Kind Designs to triple production capacity and expand its team to meet explosive demand for its Living Seawalls™.

Major coastal cities in the United States, including Miami, New York City, and San Francisco, are at imminent risk from rising sea-levels with local and federal government agencies expecting to spend nearly $400B in seawall construction efforts.

According to FloodList.com, the study, titled High Tide Tax: The Price to Protect Coastal Communities from Rising Seas, reveals that “Florida will be by far the most heavily impacted state in such events, with projected costs of over $70 billion across the state, with 23 counties facing at least $1 billion in seawall expenses alone.”

As a result, the United States could be on track to destroy over 50,000 miles of marine habitat by 2040.

Kind Designs addresses this concern.  The company is a climate-tech startup addressing rising sea-levels by revolutionizing the outdated and traditionally toxic seawall construction industry. Through its use of sustainable materials, and patent-pending 3D printing technology, Kind Designs is producing the world’s first 3D-printed Living Seawalls™️. The Living Seawalls protect coastal communities from floods and storm surges, while creating marine habitats, sequestering carbon and collecting essential water quality data.

Unlike traditional seawalls, which are typically flat, Living Seawalls incorporate biomimicry design principles and function as artificial reefs. The Living Seawalls also sequester carbon and collect essential water data. Kind’s innovative approach to seawall construction cuts production time by 95% and has zero green premium, making it both a sustainable and economical solution to at-risk communities.

“The investment decision was swift and resolute,” comments Anthropocene Ventures’ Managing Partner, Matthew McGraw.

Anthropocene Ventures is a global, early-stage VC firm investing in founders that leverage exponential technologies & hard science to make humanity more resilient. Kind Designs was the perfect for for the VC firm.

“Kind Designs surpasses our criteria with its immediate real-world application, clear business model, path to revenue, and the merging of nature’s smarts through biomimicry with 3D printing technology. Yet, what truly solidified our commitment is the performance of the founder, Anya. In a brief span, she has demonstrated exceptional execution.”

Earlier this summer, The Florida Venture Forum and co-host, Space Florida, hosted the 2023 Aerospace + EmergingTech Forum awarding over $200,000 in cash and VC investment. Kind Designs won first place taking home $40,000. In addition to the cash prizes awarded, DeepWork Capital, an early-stage venture capital firm based in Orlando, announced they will invest $100,000 in Kind Designs.

Soon after, GOVO Venture Partners, along with M4 Investing and the Florida Opportunity Fund, announced the decision to co-lead the $5M seed investment round in Miami-based Kind Designs.

In under five months, Kind Designs launched its warehouse, became fully operational and achieved revenue by starting to deliver the first Living Seawall panels in November 2023. The company plans to triple its production capacity by February 2024, with its recent purchase of two additional printing robots, showcasing the widespread demand for its pioneering products.

This month, Kind Designs also reached a workforce milestone, hiring its tenth full-time employee, a testament to its commitment to creating meaningful job opportunities in tech and fostering local talent in Miami. Other hires joining Kind’s founder and CEO, Anya Freeman, include Leandro Fernandez as Lead Structural Engineer and Jeremy Morris as Chief Operating Officer. Morris previously held roles at The Boring Company and Icon.

“Having investors with a global reach, like Mark Cuban and Anthro Ventures on our team is a huge vote of confidence in our mission to regenerate marine ecosystems and protect coastal communities,” shared Anya Freeman, Kind Designs’ Founder and CEO.

“With their strategic backing, we are positioned to propel Kind Designs into a massive global business, while simultaneously making an immense environmental impact. Together, we’re putting economical and environmentally beneficial coastal resilience on the map.”

Looking ahead, Kind Designs plans to further disrupt the coastal construction industry by working with government agencies to offer Living Seawall tax incentives on the county, state and federal levels. This program will be similar to incentives already in place such as solar energy and EV tax credits. Kind Designs’ Living Seawalls check several boxes by merging the structural integrity of traditional seawalls with a sustainable design that nurtures marine life and is more cost effective for coastal communities.

As Kind Designs continues to grow and innovate, this strategic investment will play a pivotal role in advancing its mission to protect coastal communities and marine life globally. Mark Cuban and Anthropocene Ventures join an impressive list of supporters within Kind Design’s $5M seed round.

To learn more about Kind Designs, visit https://www.kinddesigns.com/

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19
Nov, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

Conservpros rebrands to Chargepros in effort to deepen impact in local market

Read Time 3 Minutes

Conservpros, a Miami-based company and trusted name in energy efficiency, is proud to announce its rebranding to Chargepros.

This change is the result of a strategic multi-year transition, reflecting a renewed focus on the future of energy and transportation. Chargepros stands at the forefront of the electric vehicle (EV) charging industry, with a commitment to expanding its reach throughout the state and laying the groundwork for future national growth. This rebranding responds to a surging need, as the EV market is projected to grow to over 10 million EVs on the road by 2027, amidst currently limited infrastructure.

 

“Our team at Chargepros has led the way in South Florida, and now we aim to replicate this success on a larger scale” said the company’s founder and CEO, Ray Payano.

“As a leading force in Florida’s EV sector, Chargepros has solidified its reputation through successful partnerships with top industry players and a robust portfolio of thousands of EV charger installations. With industry projections showing millions of EVs on the roads in the coming years, the company is scaling up its operations to meet the escalating demand for accessible and reliable EV charging solutions.”

Almost a year ago, Ray was invited to speak alongside industry leaders at the Energy Influencers panel with Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine-Cava, Florida Power & Light (FPL), and the City of Homestead. His vision was to bring electric vehicle chargers to every neighborhood in Miami-Dade and supporting the county in reaching their goals.

Today, Chargepros is Florida’s leading electric vehicle (EV) charging experts, offering full-service solutions that span from Miami to Orlando and every city in between.

With proven expertise in the energy industry, we offer a comprehensive one-stop shop for EV charging solutions, from sales and installation to maintenance and support. With over 10,000 satisfied customers, our mission is clear: to facilitate the transition to sustainable energy in every community across the state and beyond. Chargepros was born out of a mission to meet a growing market need with precision and foresight.

The company also recently announced the accomplishment of 200 positive Google reviews. Ray posted on social media stating, “This accomplishment isn’t just a number; it’s a testament to our unwavering commitment to excellence, customer satisfaction, and a greener future. Each review represents a story of trust, satisfaction, and a step towards a more sustainable world powered by electric vehicles.”

He continued,” A heartfelt thank you to our incredible customers and partners who have trusted us with their EV charging needs. Your feedback has not only helped us improve but has also fueled our passion to innovate and excel.”

Chargepros is set to deepen its impact in the local market, continuously innovating to offer superior customer experiences while anticipating the infrastructural needs of a sustainable future. The company envisions a progressive expansion, moving from a strong local presence to a significant state-wide reach, and eventually expand across the nation.

Ray thanked ChargePro loyal customers by saying, “Your unwavering support is the driving force behind this change, fueling our journey. To those who have yet to join us, we invite you to help us electrify the future together.”

To learn more about ChargePro, visit https://www.conservpros.com/

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