1
Meet the startups in Seaworthy Collective’s next cohort
Seaworthy Collective, a Miami-based non-profit that supports entrepreneurs driving innovation for ocean impact, announced the launch of its sixth cohort of startups and founders in its revamped flagship program, The Ocean Enterprise Studio and Incubator, powered by The Continuum. They hail from West Palm Beach to Honolulu.
The startups will participate in the three-month program on full scholarships (no equity or fees) as a result of Seaworthy’s $14 million National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Ocean Enterprise Accelerators partnership called The Continuum with Tampa Bay Wave and other partners.
“We’re excited for startups to tap into value across each of our partners, and to demonstrate what’s possible for our community’s future with unprecedented access to multiple networks and ecosystems all in one program. This is also a milestone moment for Seaworthy as we achieve our founding 5-year vision, having supported 100 founders across 50 startups and 6 cohorts, who have raised over $25 million to date,” said Daniel Kleinman, Seaworthy Collective’s Founder & CEO and co-lead of the Continuum.
The seven startups selected to be part of the Fall 2025 Ocean Enterprise Studio & Incubator are:
- Coral Collective (Waianae, HI) – Founded by Annalee Herrera, Coral Collective is an AI-powered platform that turns community-driven coral reef monitoring into scalable, actionable insights.
- DOLGO (Tampa, FL) – Founded by Nithesh “Waz” Wazenn, DOLGO is building the experience infrastructure for field-based troubleshooting expertise, transforming the individual tacit knowledge of engineers and technicians into institutional knowledge.
- Endur (West Palm Beach) – Founded by Roberto Lama, Endur Inc. provides a next-generation ocean intelligence platform, initially focused on transforming the marine permitting process by integrating real-time data, predictive analytics, and compliance automation to help marine restoration industries streamline approvals and reduce delays.
- Kelp Cover (Honolulu, HI) – Founded by Allison Rowe, Kelp Cover is an AI-enabled finance platform for ocean farmers, starting with affordable parametric insurance backed by blue nature credits.
- SkyWind Solutions (Boca Raton) – Co-founded by Bonnie Schneider,- SkyWind Solutions provides AI-powered, hyperlocal forecasts for total coastal water levels, addressing sea level rise impacts and bridging gaps between conventional tidal gauges. A separate model is in development to forecast red tide conditions with high spatial and temporal resolution.
- Vital Ocean (Portland, OR) – Co-founded by Joi Danielson, Vincent Kneefel, Luke Dallafior, Vlad Shifrin, & Madhu Reddiboina, Vital Ocean harnesses the power of AI and emerging technologies to bring clarity to ocean complexity and unlock bold new possibilities for ocean recovery and resilience.
- A co-created startup to be announced at Seaworthy’s demo day, the Fall Startup Showcase Oct. 25.
2
Flow buys majority interest in Miami River development
Flow, led by WeWork founder and former CEO Adam Neumann, announces the strategic acquisition of a flagship mixed-use development on the Miami River in the Brickell district.
Flow is the managing member of the joint venture along with Canada Global that will have majority ownership with the existing owner at a current total capitalization of $525 million. The project, renamed Flow on the River, sits on a 6.2-acre plot, which when complete will consist of more than 1,900 new units, as well as waterfront retail space.
“This is an exciting step forward in reimagining the future of living,” Neumann said. “With Flow on the River, we continue to deliver on our mission one community at a time.”
The first phase of the Miami River project will feature a 54-story tower with 632 apartments, 39,000 square feet of commercial space and 770 parking spaces, plus 17 boat slips. There’s room for another three towers.
Flow operates more than 1,000 rental units at Flow Miami and Flow Fort Lauderdale, and will deliver a 466-unit condominium project known as Flow House Miami later this year. The company is also developing a three-tower, mixed-use project in Aventura that will feature 674 apartments, 250,000 square feet of office and 39,000 square feet of retail, as well as another project zoned for 2,380 apartments and commercial space at El Portal.
3
First Due raises a $355M private equity round
First Due, a Miami-based provider of an all-in-one software platform for public safety agencies, received $355 million in a strategic investment. The round was led by JMI Equity, a software-focused private equity firm, with participation from TCV and Serent Capital. The company intends to use the funds to accelerate platform development, enhance customer support, and expand service delivery.
Founded in 2016 and led by co-founder and CEO Andreas Huber, First Due enables operations for over 3,000 agencies across the United States. The platform delivers a solution with products for fire, EMS, hospitals and law enforcement, and has rapidly become a player in AI-driven public safety technology, enabling better decision making, operational readiness, and response outcomes.
“This new investment strengthens our mission to be the best possible software partner for public safety. Building innovative products and serving public safety agencies of all sizes is at the core of our work, and we look forward to growing our existing capabilities to deliver at a much larger scale with JMI’s support,” said Huber, in the announcement.
Customers include the State of Michigan, City of Charlotte, San Bernardino County Fire Protection District, and several federal agencies including the Department of Defense.
4
eMerge to expand its HEALTH platform, names leader
eMerge Americas announced a partnership with HealthIMPACT Live to dramatically expand its eMerge HEALTH vertical. As part of this strategic collaboration, Megan Antonelli, founder & CEO of HealthIMPACT Live, a platform providings resources for health care leaders to adopt emerging technologies that drive efficiency and improve patient outcomes, joins eMerge as director of eMerge HEALTH.
The appointment of Antonelli, who brings decades of experience at the intersection of technology, health systems, and policy, signals a bold expansion of eMerge HEALTH and reinforces eMerge Americas’ commitment to delivering year-round, cross-sector collaboration that transforms lives and strengthens industries, said Melissa Medina, CEO and co-founder of eMerge Americas. “Together with HealthIMPACT Live, we are building the definitive health innovation platform that doesn’t just inspire ideas, but catalyzes real-world impact through strategic connections across AI, national security, finance, and beyond,” Medina said, in a statement.
The expanded eMerge HEALTH platform will unite leaders across payers, providers, policymakers, pharma, medtech, and health tech. “Florida is where health care breakthroughs are happening at scale,” added Antonelli. “By joining forces with eMerge Americas, we’re tapping into this momentum to deliver solutions that elevate patient care, economic resilience and national competitiveness.” to explore bold ideas in health and wellness.
5
New World Angels invests in EpiPaws
New World Angels announced its Innovation Fund-I investment in Fort Lauderdale-based startup EpiPaws, a pioneering company offering epigenetic testing and analytical services that help owners and their veterinarians proactively understand a pets’ age, wellness, and longevity. The funding will help EpiPaws accelerate research and scale its reach, delivering actionable wellness insights to pet owners and veterinarians.
EpiPaws’ epigenetic testing translates advanced epigenomics into actionable recommendations for families, veterinarians, and for the developers of pet health and food products. The amount of the investment was not disclosed.
The investors recognized the vital role that Florida’s entrepreneurial ecosystem has played in EpiPaws’ development — including mentorship programs, accelerator resources, and expert guidance from FAU Runway and NSU’s Levan Center. “Support for Andria and her team was broad-based within New World Angels and backed by strong endorsement of her performance within the Florida business incubators,” said Ron Tarro, President of New World Angels.
6
Mana Tech launches Climate Tech Scale-up Program
Mana Tech, a Miami organization that helps international startups expand in the US, has opened applications for its first Climate Tech Scale-Up Program. The 5-week program in Novenmer and early December will select 10 international growth-stage climatetech ventures that want to accelerate their expansion in the US.
The program will be hosted virtually and in downtown Miami, following the South Florida ClimateReady Tech Hub initiative that secured nearly $20 million in federal grants to support startups, with a focus on energy efficiency, infrastructure resilience, and coastal technologies. Mana Tech Head of Ventures Etienne Gillard says the program is designed for leaders who need clarity, resilience strategies, and access to decision makers.
“Miami’s urgency around climate challenges has created unmatched mementum — not just for visibility, but for real action. We’re here to make entry into the US market less daunting and more actionable,” said Gillard. Find out more here.
7
Beep-Beep, autonomous shuttle coming to Boca
Guident, an autonomous vehicle teleoperation company based in Boca Raton, announced this week it will launch a fully autonomous shuttle service in the city starting in the fall. This shuttle will provide the city with services over a 2.6-mile loop from Mizner Park to Royal Palm Place, initially starting with a smaller piece of it.
Guident and its strategic partner, Estonia-based Auve Tech, have been deploying MiCa, an SAE Level 4 fully autonomous electric shuttle, in the U.S. market. Operating a transportation service in Boca Raton complements the MiCa shuttles operating in Europe, Asia, and the U.S. MiCa has demonstrated the ability to navigate complex urban environments without human intervention, and this project will further showcase safe and reliable operation in such environments.
“Launching the MiCa transportation project in Boca Raton represents a significant step toward making autonomous public transportation a reality,” said Harald Braun, Chairman and CEO of Guident. “Our collaboration with our esteemed partners underlines a shared vision: to create a safer, more efficient, and connected urban future.”
8
JA looking for entrepreneur mentors
Junior Achievement of Greater Miami announced an expansion of their JA Entrepreneurial Mindset curriculum, which enhances high school business classes to add free, hands-on programming about entrepreneurship and starting a business. This program will benefit students who are future startup founders, leaders, and innovators, and give them new access to crucial training and mentorship as they start their entrepreneurial journeys.
JA Miami also released a call for volunteer mentors. This new volunteer cohort will ideally be made up of founders, executives and entrepreneurs with the experience and time to give back to the community and work with students directly. Mentors will share their experiences and give advice as part of a teacher-led JA-vetted curriculum that goes over the nuts and bolts of entrepreneurship at an age-appropriate level, over the course of a semester.
JA Entrepreneurial Mindset can also lead into the optional JA Company Program, in which students put their lessons to work and create a functional business over the course of a year. This year, JA’s Company Program students in Miami competed on the highest national level at the JA USA Future Bound Summit, winning the ICE Best Financial Performance Award and the Student Choice Award.
To sign up for this program as a mentor, please go here.
9
Jobs, jobs, and more jobs
Betr – Associate Product Manager
Boats Group – Sr Search Manager
Boats Group – Sr Software Engineer
Chewy – Software Engineer
DoorLoop – Associate AI Engineer
eMed – Paid Social Ads Manager
eMed – Product Delivery Manager
Exowatt – Opto-Mechanical Test Engineer
Exowatt – Lead Software Engineer, AI/LLM Physics
Human Interest – Sr GTM Financial Analyst
Kaseya – Sr Penetration Tester
Royal Caribbean Group – IT Product Manager
Royal Caribbean Group – Sr Customer Marketing Analyst
Vultr – Infrastructure Automation Engineer
Vultr – Principle Product Manager, AI
Go to Refresh Miami’s job board for hundreds more!
10-PLUS
Opportunity knocks
- Applications are now open for the fintech and defense tech tracks of the new Gold Coast Tech Accelerator, hosted by eMerge Americas, The Florida Council of 100 and Related Ross. Apply here by Sept. 7 for the fall tracks. Read more about the accelerator here.
- Coworking company Mindspace is offering complimentary office space at its Miami location every Wednesday until Aug. 27. Reserve here.
- The Alan B. Levan NSU Broward Center of Innovation is accepting applications for its 100 Startup Project Scholarship program. Ten startups will receive a one-year membership to the Levan Center of Innovation. Apply here.
- The Miami-Dade Innovation Authority will award $100,000 each to selected startups that propose tech solutions that can make the county’s public housing system more efficient. Learn more and apply here by Sept 5.
- Scale2miami and Mana Tech has launched a new program offering up to $300,000 in funding for MVP-stage founders. This program includes a 5 week program and 12 months of ongoing support. Applications close Aug. 31st, with the program starting in September 2025. Apply here.
- 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
- Latest funding: Social casino startup MyPrize rockets to $1.2B run rate in first year, raises $21M at $250M valuation
- Stephen Ross, eMerge Americas and Florida Council of 100 announce Gold Coast Tech Accelerator
- Messi, Will Smith, and Ken Griffin headline major leadership summit in Miami this November
- Former X CEO Linda Yaccarino is now at the helm of eMed
- NSU names next leader of the Levan Center of Innovation
- OutRival’s digital staff is already making a million calls per month, giving colleges an AI workforce
- Miami AI Hub and eMerge unveil AI School and upcoming Summit
- SmartBarrel’s bet on in-person work is paying off – and reshaping the future of construction labor
- H+Trace aims to stop lab errors through smart data and devices
- SynthBee’s collaborative intelligence enters University of Miami classrooms
- ‘95% accuracy’: FIU researchers use AI to detect heart disease early
- MDC students team up with startups to solve real-world challenges through Miami Tech Works and U.S. Chamber’s EPIC program
- Miami Dade College leads global accessibility conversation at Ability Innovations Workshop
- Special Report: Crypto keeps building in Miami, and investors are paying attention
And much more #NoPaywall 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 and paywall-free news.
