As we head into 2024, these leaders look to elevate our ecosystem globally while bringing our community together locally
By Riley Kaminer
Ready to pop open some champagne to ring in the new year? We certainly are.
But first… what exactly does the future have to hold for #MiamiTech in 2024? We asked a subsection of local innovators to get a sense of what they’re seeing and looking forward to in the coming months. Grab some bubbly, and let’s dive in 🍾
Elevating the #MiamiTech ecosystem
The Magic City’s tech scene is poised for more growth to come, with founders focusing on scaling their businesses while leveraging the city’s burgeoning network effects.
Lucy Guo, founder and CEO of Passes, a monetization platform for creators:
“Building in Miami has been incredible. In just a year, we’ve paid out ~$10m and are aiming to 5x that in 2024. We have our first Passes millionaire and aim to create many more next year. We believe creators are all entrepreneurs and want to continue to help them grow their brands and businesses… I’m excited to see network effects of our tech community compound in 2024!”
Richard Lavina, co-founder and CEO of online accounting services and workforce platform Taxfyle:
“I think Miami hit its inflection point at some point between 2021 and 2023, and 2024 will be a continuation of the trend that’s been forming over the last few years. As far as Taxfyle is concerned, we’ve got a lot of great things on our roadmap, that our team is excited to work on and I think our clients will be excited about as well.”
Laurent Gil, co-founder and Chief Product Officer of cloud cost optimization platform CAST AI:
“Miami is an incredible talent magnet… At CAST AI, we’ve recruited many of our senior leadership from Miami’s talent pool… There’s a reason why Miami has become the go-to place for all of our company-wide meetings with Europe and Asia.”
Aurelia Edwards, founder and CEO of fashion and beauty tech startup Nailstry:
“In 2024, Miami’s dynamic ecosystem is poised to play a central role in shaping the future landscape of technology, serving as a pivotal hub for entrepreneurship, emerging tech startups, and international investment… As for Nailstry, we are embarking on our first fundraising round in Q1, a $1.5M seed round. We predict that with this investment we will be able to expand to the Asia-Pacific market in 2024.”
Fostering innovation and collaboration
Tech innovation combined with thoughtful community-building is the winning combination some Miami tech founders plan to leverage in the new year.
Anabel Perez, co-founder, President, and CEO of fintech infrastructure platform NovoPayment:
“What I really love about both our Miami tech community and the fintech sector is that while we are constantly exposed to new challenges and external factors that test our resilience, we’re truly committed to facing these head-on while also solving problems in new, innovative ways and disrupting our industries.
“NovoPayment is a connector – and as such, in 2024, I look forward to expanding our influence as a platform connecting the U.S. and Latam while building upon our relationships with our partners and clients throughout the region.”
Juan Manuel Barrero, co-founder and CEO of legal, finance, and tax platform Lazo:
“In 2024, my goal is for Lazo to be the leading tool to help founders scale their businesses and make intelligent financial decisions… We also want to continue to help expand the Miami community, co-hosting events such as “Parrilla con Amigos” and “Sail to Scale,” while highlighting the city’s vibrant startup scene globally as we participate in events around the world.”
Fernando Botran, founder and CEO of healthcare payment platform Osigu:
“We envision 2024 as a year of profound impact and transformation for Osigu within the healthcare technology landscape. Our mission next year will continue to center on collaboration and user-centered innovation, aiming to drive positive change within the healthcare technology sector. By reducing inefficiencies and prioritizing patient care, we aim to elevate the experience for all industry players.”
Lin Dai, co-founder and CEO of customer engagement platform Superlogic:
“As we step into 2024, may it be the year when Web3 and blockchain technologies redefine the digital landscape, where decentralization becomes not just a buzzword but a reality, empowering individuals and enterprises alike. We look forward to Superlogic contributing to a flourishing ecosystem where the Miami tech community becomes a hub for innovations and collaborations. Happy New Year!”
Embracing technological advancements and opportunities
The future of tech innovation is bright, report various local founders. These founders underscored the transformative potential of technological advancements in 2024, focusing on AI, real estate technology, and democratizing access to industry-specific knowledge.
Ruben Harris, founder and CEO of tech career development platform Career Karma:
“In 2024, I predict the normalization of AI on audio and video. Audio and especially video will introduce emotional dynamics that we have not felt in 2023 or ever in history that will introduce new opportunities and conversations that we have never had before related to human-machine collaboration. Miami has the opportunity to embrace AI and is in a position where industries outside of tech (finance, real estate, travel, sports, music, etc) can pilot things in 2024 on how to use AI within their organizations to serve as a playbook for the rest of the world. It’s important for employers to embrace this technology, because everyday workers will be affected by AI the most and need to understand not only the training they need to reskill/upskill, but also how to apply this knowledge to new roles within their organizations.”
Vlad Cazacu, co-founder and CEO of VC platform Flowlie:
“Looking ahead to 2024, I am definitely much more optimistic. Advances in AI and its likeness will clearly have a positive impact on Flowlie.
“I think the post-crypto Miami has been a ‘return to what matters’ from a tech ecosystem perspective. More true startups started to call Miami home and as a result the quality of builders has increased. I hope to see this trend continue and be followed by a relocation of more capital providers as well. Miami is a low-density entrepreneurial environment but one that is evolving rapidly.”
Steph Golik, co-founder of startup-focused freelance talent platform Huddle:
“I’m looking forward to 2024 being the year of independence and abundance, while 2023 seemed to center on contraction and a fearful market… At Huddle, our prediction is that more startups will stay small longer (5 or less people full-time), will strive for profitability earlier, and raise less VC money. The most successful will do so by capitalizing on a new, growing fractional workforce that’s available – even for leadership positions – and scaling their time with AI and other novel tools.”
Nicholas Mohnacky, co-founder and CEO of knowledge management platform bundleIQ:
“We are excited to announce our plan to make industry-specific knowledge more accessible to everyone and democratize it… To solve this issue, we are launching the Ask Alani marketplace. It will be a platform where users can easily access valuable insights through a conversational AI interface, similar to Substack meets ChatGPT.”
Building market presence, and bringing the Miami community along for the ride
Many founders emphasized the importance of community involvement in market expansion, aiming to deepen local engagement while strengthening Miami’s global position as a tech powerhouse.
Michael Rangel, co-founder and CEO of small business banking fintech Novo:
“I’m extremely optimistic about Miami’s tech scene in 2024 and beyond. More tech companies are moving here, and the existing ones are thriving! Miami’s got a winning combination of successful tech businesses, talented grads from local universities, and Mayor Francis Suarez leading the Miami Movement.
“On the Novo-front – we can’t wait to open the doors to our brand-new HQ office in 2024! It’ll be a great location for hosting events for the community and showcasing Miami’s small business owners. Miami’s tech future looks bright, and I’m pumped to be a part of it and all that’s to come!”
Chuck Walter, founder of contact management platform FriendApp:
“My hope for 2024 is that many of the newcomers to Miami as part of the tech surge will get more involved in their local neighborhoods. I’ll continue to organize Brickell Tech Tuesday, and I am pleased to see that South Miami has also initiated their own tech happy hour organized by Ralph Quintero and Gianni D’Alerta. What neighborhood will be next?
“One of the consequences of increased social media usage and remote work has been the reduced time that we invest in our nearby institutions and getting to know the people who live within 5 minutes of us. As I continue to advance with FriendApp, one of our key goals is to address disconnection at a hyper-local level. I look forward to hearing from others who want to find solutions.”
Natalia Karayaneva, founder and CEO of real estate transaction platform Propy:
“In 2024, I envision great aspirations for the innovation community and Propy… For the Miami tech community, I hope to see increased collaboration and a thriving ecosystem where Propy is dedicated to contribute and give back.”
Growth. Innovation. Community engagement. Cementing Miami’s position as a burgeoning tech hub. These founders’ shared enthusiasm and commitment to pushing the boundaries in their respective fields underline the dynamic and evolving nature of Miami’s tech ecosystem as we enter 2024.
Cheers to an exciting year ahead!
Nancy Dahlberg contributed to this report.
READ MORE IN REFRESH MIAMI:
- Year in Review: Bezos, Brightline, AI, a climatetech hub & more – there were many #MiamiTech wins to celebrate in 2023
- Top-read #MiamiTech stories of 2023 on Refresh Miami
- Explore the intersection of AI, web3, and real estate with Propy CEO
- In a sea of contacts, FriendApp helps users focus and find their tribe
- Career Karma and Google partner up to prepare Black talent for tech careers
- Q&A: Novo’s Michael Rangel on empowering small businesses to make a positive impact on their local communities
- Lucy Guo’s Passes pounces on $9M to further develop paywall platform for creators
- Long #MiamiTech, Flowlie builds platform for VCs and founders to more effectively share data
