At a packed event hosted by The Source tech hub, founders pitched to a panel of judges. Next: The regional finals Sept. 14
By Krysten Brenlla
A rainy August Saturday didn’t stop over 400 attendees from supporting 60 startups at The Gale Miami during Miami’s first-ever Startup World Cup (the largest startup competition in the world) Demo Day. Hosted by The Source, Miami’s Black-owned tech hub, founders took the spotlight to pitch their startups to a panel of elite judges for a chance to advance to the regional finals on September 14.
The goal? Being the one startup to represent Miami on the global stage at the Startup World Cup in San Francisco this October, with a chance to win $1,000,000.
“There are 17 different industries represented amongst 60 different startups today [at Miami’s Startup World Cup Demo Day],” said Hilmon Sorey, co-founder of The Source, Silicon Valley founder, and technology veteran, at the event. “And, something about these Miami founders – all of them have flavor. They’re anxious to talk about what they’re doing, they’re excited to engage you on where you’re at and what you’re interested in, and they’re really interested in supporting one another – which is very unique, collaborative, and exciting.”
In July, The Source received more than 100 applications from startups across the Miami area looking for their chance to compete in the global stage against other national and international founders and startups. By early August, the top 60 were selected, and throughout the month, the founders prepared to pitch their startups to a room full of investors, venture capitalists, and community members during Demo Day.
“For me, I tell everybody – I don’t work, I get up and do something I love every day. That’s growth,” said Ted Lucas, co-founder of The Source alongside Sorey, founder of Miami NFT Week and Slip-N-Slide Records, and a philanthropist. “We have to continue working together in Miami. The doors at The Source are open – let’s sit down and see how we can work together to make Miami number one in the tech space. I learn something new every day when I talk to founders – that’s what brings excitement to me. I’m excited to see the growth that this city, and the talent in this city, has been able to have.”
Attendees at Demo Day had the opportunity to vote for their favorite startup for nearly two hours, giving founders the chance to be heard by both the public and the judges. However, after crunching public votes and deliberation amongst the judges, the top 10 Demo Day winners were selected to advance to the next level.
“It’s very impactful for the Miami Tech community to host a Demo Day for the Startup World Cup, and it comes at a pivotal moment for the Miami Tech ecosystem,” said Stefan Owens, head of growth and sourcing at The Source. “What really excites me about something like this is just being around innovative people – people who really believe in a large vision for the future, and who believe that they are building something toward that future.”
The 10 startups advancing to the next level for a chance to represent Miami and compete in The Startup World Cup this October are:
With Real Hire, candidates can craft video-based resumes that allows them to stand out against their competition. Founded by Brandi Day.
Sargassum Eco Lumber is dedicated to crafting a greener future by transforming sargassum and plastic MDPE waste into high-quality lumber. Founded by Raquel de Antonio.
MRGN is an AI-powered business intelligence tool that automates decision-making to create bandwidth for small and medium-size businesses, helping with business management, finances, and operations. Founded by Yoni Rubin.
YES.FUN is a secure and ad-free mixed reality platform for children, mixing experiential learning with 25+ artificial reality worlds, mixed reality tech to inspire collaborative storytelling, and user-generated content capabilities. Founded by Ola Litkova.
im Financial is a digital, wealth-building banking platform, with a specific goal of empowering Millennial and Gen Z U.S. Hispanics to achieve financial prosperity. Founded by Rodrigo Acuna.
Investrio is a guided, personal finance tool combining artificial intelligence and human experience into one platform to empower individuals with the knowledge, tools, and personalized guidance they need to achieve financial well-being. Founded by Joyce Medeiros.
Codename: E-lixr’s mission is to develop all electric and zero emission water taxis in the U.S. Founded by Sam Payrovi.
Regenerate Waste Management is a waste technology system that leverages automation with computer vision and artificial intelligence to sift through waste deposits to extract valuable materials, and recyclables, and remove pollutants while converting them into new products. Founded by Amira Alfa.
CoachEra, which was developed by licensed clinical psychologists, uses evidence-based, cognitive-behavioral methodology to create a personalized growth plan and match individuals with multicultural, multidisciplinary experts to guide them on their path to success. Founded by Bita Sarah Haynes.
Dingdoor is a mobile and online platform that connects users with a range of services – from car mechanics and home improvement to pet groomers and more. Their mission is to simplify the service-request process. Founded by Maykel de Cespedes.
For more information on Startup World Cup, visit their website at https://www.startupworldcup.io/. For more information on Miami’s Startup World Cup Regional Finals, visit https://lu.ma/swcmiami2024regionalfinal.
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