1
Amazon’s planned Wynwood offices just got a lot bigger
In January, Amazon signed what at the time was Wynwood’s largest office deal ever. Now the e-commerce giant has decided it needs much more room. Amazon is now under contract for more than 75,000 square feet at the Wynwood Plaza mixed-use development, up from the 50,000 it originally agreed to take. According to media reports, Amazon hasn’t disclosed specifically how it plans to use the giant space or when it hopes to move in.
The 12-story tower project, which isn’t open yet but near completion, will feature 266,00 square feet of Calss AAA office space, along with 25,000 square feet of retail and 509 apartments. Amenities for office tenants include a fitness club with showers and lockers, a golf simulator, conference rooms, a 25-foot-tall lobby, a rooftop deck with seating, and a 26,000-square-foot public plaza at the street level. More than half of the tower has already been leased.
2
Everything you want to know about Miami tech employment
CompTIA’s new report called the 2025 State of the Tech Workforce is out and contains some interesting findings about the Miami area’s tech jobs and workers. The Miami area could gain nearly 3,000 tech jobs this year, the report finds. What’s more, the state as a whole is on track to add 18,144 tech jobs in 2025, ranking 3rd in the US.
Here are some other interesting findings:
- Tech employment makes up just 4.3% of the Miami-Fort Lauderdale metro area’s workforce.
- The tech sector in Miami brings a $32 billion economic impact.
- Miami is among the top 10 cities in the U.S. for number of technology businesses (11,912 – although most are small businesses). New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Dallas, Denver, Atlanta and Seattle rank higher.
- Orlando and Tampa may gain 2,114 and 2,050 jobs respectively this year.
- In Miami, Orlando and Tampa, the top job category is software developers and no. 2 is cybersecurity.
- In 2024, Statewide, tech employment grew just under 1% with 5,100 new jobs – the third highest total among all states. In Miami, however, tech employment fell 0.4%.
- Across the US in May 2025, there were 125,000 active job listings requiring advanced AI skills. In the Miami area, there were about 4,000.
Want more? Download the 146-page report for more insights here.
3
Major seawall permit reform accelerates climate resilience
Last week, the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved legislation sponsored by Commissioner Eileen Higgins (District 5) that will dramatically streamline the permitting process for seawalls and bulkheads, while encouraging environmentally innovative designs to address the impacts of climate change and rising seas. The ordinance delivers long-overdue updates to the county’s permitting code, cutting through bureaucratic delays and creating opportunities for smarter, more resilient infrastructure along canals and coastlines.
“New 3D-printed concrete technologies allow us to build seawalls that don’t just protect homes, but also create vibrant habitats for marine life. The code has been modernized to support these innovations, so our seawalls can strengthen communities and ecosystems at the same time,” said Comm. Higgens.
Updated comprehensively for the first time in decades, the new ordinance includes major reforms to speed up permitting timelines, reduce red tape, and foster more ecologically advanced seawall solutions. The ordinance received broad support from Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, the City of Miami Beach, the Builders Association of South Florida, major contractors, and residents impacted by seawall permitting delays.
“This legislation is a game-changer,” said Kind Designs CEO Anya Freeman, who pioneered 3D-printed seawalls and participated in a stakeholder roundtable. “It opens the door for Miami-Dade to lead the nation in resilient and environmentally intelligent coastal infrastructure.”
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Evoneer launches AI copilot for furniture retailers
Evoneer launched Store Assistant AI, its first GenAI copilot built specifically for SMB furniture retailers, the Fort Lauderdale based company says.
Designed for the sales floor, the conversational assistant delivers fast, reliable answers through a simple chat interface, helping teams serve customers quickly and manage operations more efficiently. Evoneer also connects store teams to critical information — product specs, availability, pricing, and delivery timelines — instantly and in natural language.
Evoneer is a GenAI platform built for the unique needs of SMB furniture retailers. Its first product, Store Assistant AI, helps store teams deliver faster service, streamline operations, and make confident decisions by connecting fragmented systems and surfacing the right information instantly.
5
Blue Frontier now has a manufacturing partner
Boca Raton-based has partnered with CM Fabrication to manufacture its energy efficient air conditioners at CM’s 70,000-square-foot facility in Sycamore, IL. Together they plan to manufacture sustainable HVAC tech, boosting clean cooling solutions and U.S. manufacturing capacity.
Blue Frontier’s innovative air conditioning units can reduce energy usage by 50% to 90%. Its
patented HVAC technology uses liquid desiccant and saltwater energy storage to deliver efficiency and sustainability. It is designed to be a drop-in replacement for commercial rooftop units, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enabling buildings to operate with greater grid resilience. “This partnership allows us to scale faster and make a broader impact in commercial HVAC markets.” said Dr. Daniel Betts, CEO and co-founder of Blue Frontier.
Blue Frontier raised a strategic funding round of $16.9 million from a large corporation last year, in addition to the $20 million Series A led by Bill Gates-founded Breakthrough Energy Ventures in 2022, Refresh Miami reported.
6
Boca gets another coworking space
Venture X opened its newest coworking space at the Palmetto Central office campus in Boca Raton. The 30,000-square-foot office occupies the entire top floor of the building, which recently underwent a $60 million renovation, according to a South Florida Business Journal report.
“This new location reflects our commitment to providing top tier coworking spaces that meet the needs of today’s professionals, with a focus on community and collaboration,” Venture X managing director Kevin Priddy said in a statement.
Headquartered in West Palm Beach, Venture X has locations across the U.S. South Florida locations include Doral, Palm Beach Gardens, West Palm Beach, Miami Lakes and downtown Miami. The brand caters to entrepreneurs, startups, remote workers and established businesses who desire flexible workspaces.
The Boca Raton location features private offices, shared spaces with dedicated desks, meeting rooms and has an adjacent café and lounge. South Florida has the largest proportion of coworking branches of any metro area with a population of more than one million people, according to a 2024 study from CoWorking Cafe.
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MDC holding series of AI Clinics
Miami Dade College aims to educate small business owners, professionals and the community engages about artificial intelligence through its AI Clinics, a series of hands-on learning sessions designed for participants with no prior AI or programming background. The next clinic begins on Saturday, July 19, and lasts four weeks, blending in-person and online instruction.
The clinics, which take place on Saturdays, are part of the College’s mission to democratize AI access. Participants explore topics such as generative AI for content creation, AI-powered productivity tools, prompt engineering and responsible AI use. Each clinic blends online learning with in-person, hands-on sessions where participants work with over a dozen AI tools to produce real-world outputs, from presentations and videos to meeting summaries and creative projects.
Launched this spring by MDC’s Emerging Technologies Department and the School of Engineering, Technology and Design (EnTec), in collaboration with the AI Center and The School of Continuing Education and Professional Development, the AI Clinics are led by experienced MDC faculty and alumni and culminate in three industry-recognized credentials: Google AI Essentials, Google Prompting Essentials and MDC AI Clinic Certificate.
Over 125 individuals have completed the program, gaining essential skills that enhance productivity, strengthen decision-making and drive innovation in their respective businesses and careers. The clinics are open to anyone interested. For more information or to register, go here.
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Jobs, jobs, jobs
Boats Group – Digital Marketing Manager
Clio – Director of Engineering
Clio – Sr Business Solution Architect
FirmPilot – Customer Success Manager
FirmPilot – PPC Specialist
Florida Memorial University – IMT Helpdesk Analyst
Florida Memorial University – LMS System Admin/IT PM
Handtevy – Customer Success Specialist
The Miami Foundation – Community Engagement Manager
Papa – Clinical Operations Lead
And find hundreds more tech jobs on our Refresh Miami job board here.
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More #MiamiTech news to note
- ENTREPRENEUR HONORED: Lumu, the Doral-based cybersecurity startup known for its Continuous Compromise Assessment, announced it has been selected as a 2025 Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum, a prestigious recognition honoring innovative emerging tech companies in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, digital trust, and beyond. As part of this recognition, Lumu is invited to engage with a global ecosystem of business, government, academic, and civil society leaders, enabling unique collaboration opportunities over the next two years. “We’re excited to contribute our insights on cyber risk, network visibility, and operational security at a global level,” said Ricardo Villadiego, Founder and CEO of Lumu. Past recipients of the World Economic Forum’s Technology Pioneer designation include companies such as Google, Airbnb, Dropbox, Twitter, Spotify, and Cylance.
- CO-WORK WEDNESDAYS: From now through Aug. 27th, co-working company Mindspace is offering complimentary office space for its Summer Open House every Wednesday. The weekly series offers access to its boutique coworking spaces in both of its Miami locations, as well as in New York, Washington, DC and Philadelphia. You can reserve your spot here.
- SURVEYS SAY: The Florida Council of 100‘s Q2 2025 CEO Outlook reveals that Florida business leaders are significantly more optimistic about hiring, investment, and sales than their national peers. What’s more, according to Forbes, Miami is seeing some of the fastest wage growth in the country; it’s up 23.9% since 2020, second only to Orlando. Jacksonville and Tampa also made the list, coming in at 6th and 8th, respectively.
10-PLUS
Opportunity knocks
- Endeavor Miami is accepting applications for the next next EndeavorLAB cohort designed for early-stage founders in South Florida. This program helps entrepreneurs build the foundation to scale through structured programming, expert-led training, and one-on-one mentorship. Apply here by July 11.
- As hurricane season ramps up in Miami, FIU’s Wall of Wind Experimental Facility is opening its doors to startups and small businesses developing resilient infrastructure solutions. Through the South Florida Risk + Resilience Tech Hub, selected companies can apply for low-cost, full-scale product testing, including Category 5 hurricane simulations, at one of the nation’s most advanced facilities Apply by Aug. 1 here.
- Venture Atlanta 2025 is calling for tech-enabled startups from across the Southeast (from seed to growth stage) to apply to pitch. Selected companies will gain access to 450+ investors from 250+ funds, receive coaching and mentorship, attend the exclusive VA Investor Dinner, and benefit from year-round networking opportunities. Eligible applicants must have a strong Southeastern U.S. presence and be planning to raise capital within the next 18 months.Apply here by Aug. 8.
- The Veterans Florida Entrepreneurship Program’s Facilitated Growth Cohort at Florida International University offers training to help you grow and expand your business. You are not required to have any employees but should have a business generating revenue. You will create a Business Model Canvas with mentorship and will determine if your business is validated/marketable and if it is scalable/expandable. Find out more and apply here.
ICYMI
- Top read story: 1st patient gets Elon Musk’s Neuralink brain chip at the University of Miami, a clinical trial site
- Latest funding news: Health Advocates Network of Boca raises $15.6M in debt and equity funding
- Latest exit news: In a $1B legaltech deal, Miami-based vLex to be acquired by Clio
- Miami is a top 25 ecosystem in the world, Dealroom’s ranking finds
- From napkin to $250M, Boldstart Ventures doubles down on backing AI founders from day zero
- What SaaS Ventures’ Collin Gutman sees in Miami’s startup scene
- Tokenizing oil: How a Miami startup just redefined cross-border deals in Latin America
- Insightec receives new FDA approval of Parkinson’s treatment
- This 27-year-old founder built a pet insurance giant in Miami
- Insightec receives new FDA approval of Parkinson’s treatment
- Contra is out to make RSVPs cool again
- And much more news here.
Have news to report? Email Nancy Dahlberg at nancy@refreshmiami.com and follow her on X @ndahlberg and on LinkedIn. Subscribe to Refresh Miami’s free weekly newsletter here featuring startup news, tech job opportunities and events. Thank you for supporting Refresh Miami.
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