The Spain-born conference brought Latin American and European startups, investors, and policymakers to connect with Miami’s growing tech scene.
By Riley Kaminer
In Spain, shouting “¡Olé!” is a way to show appreciation – whether at a bullfight, a flamenco show, or a soccer match. It’s spontaneous and signals something impressive just happened (#MiamiTech, anyone?).
“Olé” became a symbol of what the two-day event stood for: celebrating shared heritage and building bridges between Latin America, Spain, and the U.S. through technology and entrepreneurship.
On Monday, more than 1,000 attendees, 240 speakers, 30 investors, and 90 startups came together under one roof. Beyond pitches and panels, the event served as a reminder of Miami’s growing role as a connector between innovation hubs across the Atlantic and the Americas.
Building a global hub right behind home plate
LoanDepot Park is usually known for baseball, but for these first few days of tech week, it turned into a hub for international dealmaking and collaboration. Startup booths lined the concourse, investor meetings took place overlooking the field, and the agenda was packed with panels on AI, clean energy, digital infrastructure, and more.
Delegations came from Chile, Brazil, Argentina, and Spain to meet with local Miami founders, investors, and city officials. Some were exploring market entry. Others came to showcase their own ecosystems. All were looking to make connections.
Cristiano Franco Berbert, Brazilian Consul in Miami, summed up the mood: “We see Miami as the entry door to America.” Others echoed that sentiment, pointing to the city’s unique position between continents – not just geographically, but culturally and economically.
Pilar Carrato, CEO of Spain’s public VC firm Innvierte, asserted, “It’s an opportunity for Spanish companies to grow here, and for Miami-based startups to expand into Europe.”
A spotlight on startups
At the core of Startup Olé were the startups, and Miami had some strong examples on display.
Cleanlight, a solar tech company based in Miami, exhibited its solar-powered lighting towers. The company recently launched a new manufacturing facility in Hialeah, showing its commitment to local production and clean infrastructure, said CEO and founder Jordan Butler Llanos [pictured below].
HappyHOA, another standout, offers software to help condo associations manage payments, reporting, insurance, and other services. In a city full of high-rise buildings and homeowner associations, the company is solving a problem that hits close to home.
Over 90 startups took part, representing sectors like climate tech, fintech, healthtech, and agtech. It was a diverse group, not just in terms of industry, but geography. Founders from Argentina stood beside teams from Doral. Chilean AI companies pitched next to Spanish robotics ventures.
International institutions offer their support
One of the key moments came during the institutional welcome, where government representatives addressed the crowd and underlined the role of public institutions in building international innovation pipelines.
Speakers included Carrato, Berbert, Argentine diplomat Marcelo Gilardoni, Miami-Dade County’s Maria Dreyfus-Ulvert, ProChile trade manager Jaime Silva, and Startup Olé founder Emilio Corchado.
Dreyfus-Ulvert emphasized the county’s commitment to positioning Miami as an international hub. “Events like this help strengthen the ties between our ecosystem and innovators across the globe,” she said on behalf of Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.
Silva noted that ProChile has partnered with Startup Olé not only in Miami, but also in Spain, Brazil, and Chile itself. He said six Chilean tech companies participated in this year’s edition. “It’s more than an event. It’s a long-term effort to help companies land and grow here.”
Local leadership talks about building Miami’s innovation economy
Another highlight was a panel on how municipal leaders are supporting tech and innovation. Moderated by Patricia Tavira, the session featured Doral Mayor Christi Fraga and Miami-Dade Crypto Task Force Chairman Elijah John Bowdre.
Fraga shared Doral’s growth story and discussed how the city is actively creating conditions for innovation to thrive. That includes offering $20,000 grants for students pursuing STEM degrees, fast-tracking permits for new businesses, and encouraging high-tech development like AI-enabled warehouses.
Doral is also preparing for the next frontier: urban air mobility. The city passed an ordinance making it one of the few U.S. municipalities ready for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. “We want to be a pilot city for companies like Joby,” Fraga said.
Bowdre focused on how the county is working to create policy frameworks around emerging tech, from AI to blockchain to aerial mobility. “There are no clear regulations at the state or federal level. That means we have a window to lead,” he said. He also hinted at a new public-private initiative, with support from Washington, to fund smart infrastructure projects throughout the region.
#MiamiTech… from moment to movement
“Miami is becoming the number one international tech hub, connecting the US, Latin America, Europe and Asia,” commented angel investor and bestselling author Paulo Andrez. “The number of countries represented and startup quality at Startup Olé just proves this potential.”
That sentiment was echoed by Ana Barjasic, founder of Connectology and a board member at the European Innovation Council: “It’s great to see how Miami’s tech scene has evolved over the years. It was also a pleasure to be a speaker at Startup Olé Miami, where I had the opportunity to engage with local investors and entrepreneurs. The event attracted key stakeholders, highlighting the growing ecosystem.”
Clearly, the real value in Startup Olé was in the relationships being built – between people, governments, companies, and ecosystems.
Founder Emilio Corchado put it this way: “This is our American dream: bringing Startup Olé to Miami and building a community.”
It looks like that community is only getting stronger.
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