1
QuickNode’s free web3 event Nov. 17 includes $10K pitch prize
QuickNode, the blockchain-development platform, is hosting #Nodevember, a free one-day event for builders and founders working in the crypto/web3 space. The full-day event – starting at 8:30 am and ending with a rooftop open bar — will be held in Miami on Nov 17. The location will be revealed to registrants who are approved, but it is in Miami.
“We expect 200 to 300 devs and founders and already have RSVPs from devs at Apple, SalesForce, Amazon, Uniswap, Visa, Mastercard and more,” QuickNode co-founder and event host Auston Bunsen said. “The other speakers are CEOs and execs from companies like Coinbase, Arbitrum, Rarible, Blockchain,com and others.”
Indeed, Peter Smith of Blockchain.com is scheduled to speak. QuickNode is also giving away $10K cash in a web3 pitch competition that will be decided live.
Apply to pitch your web3 startup or project in the pitch competition here.
2
Blueground proptech expands to Miami
Digital nomads, take note. Blueground, a fast-growing PropTech company in the 30+ day rental sector, announces its newest market in the US: Miami.
Blueground provides a curated global network of close to 10,000 turnkey homes, marketing to the remote worker, business traveler, or anyone looking to explore a new city. Each apartment is fully-furnished and equipped, and is available on flexible terms for stays of a month or longer. In Miami, Blueground is offering apartments in neighborhoods from Downtown Miami to Doral, Wynwood to Coral Gables. Expanding further north, Blueground also offers accommodations in Miramar and Fort Lauderdale.
Blueground’s strategic growth in the market comes at a high-demand period for Miami due to the Miami tech migration. The startup helps landlords by overseeing thorough background checks to guarantee reliable tenants. The company also provides landlords a consistent revenue stream.
“We see so much opportunity in Miami; from seasonal escapes to medical tourism to those that have the ability to work-from-anywhere and just want to try out the Florida lifestyle,” said Agnes Pierre-Louis, General Manager of Blueground Miami. “We’ve established relationships with prominent partners throughout the city, and look forward to expanding further to offer a wide range of options to our guests across Miami’s eclectic neighborhoods.”
The Miami launch follows the recent introduction of Blueground in Austin, adding to current US markets including Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington D.C. Blueground is currently in 26 cities globally with plans to expand to 50 cities by 2025.
3
Month-to-month Tesla subscriptions debut in South Florida
Electric vehicle subscription service Autonomy is expanding its business to Florida, including Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. “EV registrations and charging stations in Florida are growing at a tremendous pace signaling a growing population that’s eager to make the switch to an EV and the infrastructure to make it convenient to do so,” founder and CEO Scott Painter told the South Florida Business Journal. Florida is the second largest market after California for electric vehicle drivers.
Autonomy users can download the company’s app to subscribe to either the Tesla Model 3 or Tesla Model Y on a month-to-month basis, following a three-month minimum period. Prices start at $490 a month with a $5,900 start fee or $1,000 a month with a $1,000 start fee. Once a user is approved, they can schedule a pick up or delivery within weeks.
4
Apply to pitch at Florida Venture Capital Conference in Miami
Florida Venture Forum, Florida’s largest statewide support organization for investors and entrepreneurs, is calling for growth stage companies to apply to present at the 2023 Florida Venture Capital Conference, taking place at the J.W. Marriott on Brickell Avenue in Miami on February 8-9, 2023.
The Conference, now in its 32nd year, attracts 500+ attendees, including 200+ active venture investors. In addition to company presentations, the event features panel discussions, keynote speakers, and multiple networking and social events.
For founders interested in presenting, note that the final application deadline is Jan. 6, 2023, but early submissions are strongly encouraged as presenter spaces are limited.
Apply to present here.
5
Co-working company announces 4th South Florida location
New York-based co-working company Knotel is coming to Coral Gables.
Knotel will occupy a total of 23,700 square feet of office space on 8th, 12th, and 16th floors of Ofizzina at 1200 Ponce de Leon Blvd. in Coral Gables sometime in the second quarter of 2023, the South Florida Business Journal reported.
This will be Knotel’s fourth location in South Florida. The company recently leased the 46,072 square feet of office within the boutique Wyncatcher commercial building in Wynwood. It also has locations in Miami’s Midtown and in West Palm Beach.
6
South Florida startups win national grants
Presented in partnership with Hello Alice and the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN), Antares Capital will provide small businesses grants to help them grow and scale. This initiative awarded $20,000 grants totaling $1 million to 40 historically underrepresented entrepreneurs including women, people of color, military-affiliated, persons with disabilities, or LGBTQ+. The recipients were chosen from a pool of over 100,000 applications.
The four South Florida startups who received grants are: 2ndVault of Fort Lauderdale, led by Jaclyn Strauss and Nicole Mayer; Caribshopper of Davie, led by Kadion Preston; Rohi’s Readery of West Palm Beach, led by Pranati (Pranoo) Kumar; and Tappas of Miami, led by Sandra Portal-Andreu.
To qualify, businesses needed to have a viable product or service with less than $5M in annual revenue and were operated by entrepreneurs of historically underrepresented groups. In addition to the $20,000 grant, all recipients will be eligible to receive an additional $5,000 grant after completing a post-grant report demonstrating how the grant has impacted their business.. They will also be given access to professional development opportunities through Hello Alice. Read more in the South Florida Tech Hub.
PLUS
Opportunity Knocks
- For all the South Florida tech startups involved in resiliency, ocean, sea level rise, water management and many more topics, here is your chance to showcase your venture during the Resilience Pitch Night on November 29 at the Alan B. Levan | NSU Broward Center of Innovation. The 1st and 2nd place winners will have an opportunity to pitch their product or service in front of hundreds of attendees at the 14th Annual Regional Climate Leadership Summit in Fort Lauderdale on December 8 and 9, 2022, and other exciting prizes valued at $2,000. To apply, go to https://bit.ly/3DNlTN7
- The first-ever American Metaverse Awards will be held March 30, 2023 in Miami, with the goal to connect and build relationships among up-and-coming new companies, brands and large corporations embracing Web 3.0 and the Metaverse. Award nominations are being accepted through Nov. 25th. There are 22 Awards categories and organizers expect more than 100 companies to be “Short-Listed” as finalists. Click here for entry rules and to make nominations.
- Seaworthy Collective, a Miami-based BlueTech community and venture studio, is opening applications for its flagship Venture Studio program, with cohort 3 launching in March 2023. The venture studio hosts 12-week cohorts that consist of two types of program participants: aspiring founders co-creating new startups and current founders growing existing startups. As the first BlueTech venture studio in the United States, Seaworthy says it works to not only co-create individual solutions, but also build systems of solutions. Current and aspiring founders worldwide are encouraged to apply on the Seaworthy website.
- Founders have the chance to win $400,000 in investments at eMerge Americas’ Global Startup Showcase in Miami Beach. 100 startups – a mix of university, early-state and later-stage ventures — will be selected to showcase their company at the two-day event April 20-21. Learn more and apply here by Dec. 20.
- FAU Tech Runway is now accepting applications for its Venture Class 11 of its flagship accelerator program. Accepted ventures will receive more than $100,000 worth of entrepreneurial resources and services to build and scale their startups. Find out more and apply here by Nov. 20.
ICYMI – keep up!
- Meet the Miami company transforming food waste into carbon credits
- MyBundle partners with 126 cable providers to give customers the best possible TV experience
- Remoov helps people declutter responsibly and the Miami market rolls in fast growth
- AutoLeadStar revs up with $40M funding round, strengthening ties between Israel and Miami
- Terran Orbital draws $100M Lockheed investment; cancels plans for Space Coast manufacturing plant
- What’s the lowdown on funding for female-founded startups? Pitchbook report and local data shed light
- This Fort Lauderdale founder is keeping South Florida fit, while helping trainers build their businesses
- Former Bain investor aims to make magic in Miami with new $30M consumer web3 fund
- Q&A with Danielle Mousseau on FPL’s plans to keep Florida’s edge as a global entrepreneurship hub
- How do you increase diversity in tech? Strategio is growing fast with its ‘win-win’ solution
Follow Nancy Dahlberg on Twitter @ndahlberg and email her at [email protected]
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