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5 things to know in #MiamiTech: FIGS IPO in works, Ironhack-Uber bootcamp scholarships, Thoma Bravo, Gridics and MDC

Nancy Dahlberg
Nancy Dahlberg
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1

FIGS, an Endeavor Miami company, files to IPO

FIGS, a direct-to-consumer healthcare apparel brand founded by Heather Hasson and Trina Spear, filed on Wednesday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to raise up to $100 million in an initial public offering. The number of shares to be offered and the price range for the proposed offering have not yet been determined. FIGS has applied to list its common stock on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “FIGS”.
Spear and Hasson were selected as Endeavor entrepreneurs in 2015. Spear is based in South Florida, although the company is headquartered in California. Founded in 2013, FIGS identified a need for alternatives to uncomfortable, boxy scrubs used in medical scrubs industry. Its fashion-forward designs are antimicrobial, wrinkle resistant and made from a proprietary lightweight, breathable fabric. In 2020, FIGS more than doubled its 2019 revenue to $261 million, and has raised $75 million in venture funding over the years, according to Crunchbase.
FIGS’ philanthropic 1-for-1 program, Threads for Threads, has donated hundreds of thousands of scrubs to in-need health care professionals in emerging economies.
Thanks to Mark Kingdon for the heads up!

2

Uber & Ironhack team up again on coding bootcamp scholarships. Application deadline is May 15

Juan Duque, cofounder of Boca Raton-based Gaming Frog, graduated from IronHack coding school on an Uber-funded scholarship, and thinks that such programs are resources that all startups should tap.
Fortunately, Uber has partnered again with Ironhack tech bootcamp, this time to offer $100,000 in scholarships for drivers and delivery people who use the Uber network throughout Florida. Friends and family of drivers and delivery people will also be eligible for scholarships. Ironhack is a globally ranked tech school that offers intensive courses in Web Development, UX/UI Design and Data analytics. The fund consists of 50 scholarships ranging from $1,000 – $5,000 and aims to enable career changers without prior technical knowledge to start a career in tech. 
But hurry. Applications for the scholarship close on May 15. Classes for the first cohort of students will begin in June 2021.

3

Thoma Bravo moving in

The “Wall Street South” influx continues, with Chicago-headquartered private equity firm Thoma Bravo,  which invests primarily in software and technology companies, announcing it is opening an office in the top two floors of the 55-story 830 Brickell. Twenty employees from Thoma Bravo’s Chicago and San Francisco offices will be relocating to Miami and the firm plans to hire at least 10 investment professionals to help manage new deals, the Miami Herald reported.

4

Gridics begins national expansion; appointed to US Conference of Mayors

Gridics, a Miami-based zoning and real estate technology startup, announced that it has been asked to join the United States Conference of Mayors Business Council as the company begins its national expansion. Through its platform, Gridics will align with mayors to provide the necessary tools for cities to understand and improve housing capacity, zoning inequities, economic development potential, infrastructure bottlenecks, and even socio-economic issues such as housing inequality, affordable housing, and climate change, the company said.
The Gridics platform aims to help municipal staff virtually service citizen inquiries and makes it easier for developers and investors to do business with its partner municipalities. After launching its public-facing zoning platform two years ago, Gridics has been adopted by the cities of Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Miami Beach, Hollywood, Coral Gables, North Miami and Bal Harbour, the company said..

5

MDC joins NASA Space Grant Consortium; adds data science pathway
  •   Miami Dade College has joined the NASA Florida Space Grant Consortium, a statewide network of colleges and universities supporting the expansion and diversification of Florida’s space industry through grants, scholarships, and fellowships to students and educators in Florida. As members of the consortium, MDC faculty will have access to apply for scientific research projects across the space spectrum. Additionally, engineering faculty will receive support from FSGC and the Kennedy Space Center for senior design projects. MDC students will also have access to NASA’s internship programs and can apply for scholarships and competitions.
  • In an ongoing effort to expand post-graduate opportunities for its students, Miami Dade College is collaborating with theUniversity of Miami to establish a transfer program articulation agreement that allows MDC graduates with a bachelor’s degree in data analytics to seamlessly transfer to a master’s degree in data science at UM with a 50% tuition discount.   “This collaboration between MDC and UM creates a unique pathway for our students to achieve economic mobility and help develop a local workforce trained in the fields of data science and analytics,” said Antonio Delgado, dean of engineering, technology and design at MDC.

AND, and, and …
In case you have been living under a rock, here are the dates for #MiamiTechWeek, which will include the eMerge Americas conference April 18-19. Block off your calendars!

Nancy Dahlberg
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