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6+ things to know in #MiamiTech: News about air taxi startups, WorQ Coworking, Carevive, Cyber A.I. Group, Endeavor Miami, citizenM, PayCargo & more

Nancy Dahlberg
Nancy Dahlberg
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1

Air taxi startups focused on Miami advance

In a key step in commercialization, Joby Aviation received regulatory clearance to use software products that the electric aviation startup has developed in-house since acquiring Uber’s air-taxi division in 2021. The software suite authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration includes tools for pilots, a mobile app for riders and a matching system to pair customers with available aircraft, Joby said in a statement.

Joby is among manufacturers of air taxis seeking to fly customers on short commuter journeys, and Miami is likely to be one of its first markets. The eVTOL startup has said it could be ready to start commercial operations as soon as 2025, though certification by the FAA and other regulators is pending.

Joby said in February it had also completed the third of five stages of the FAA’s type certification process, which approves the design of an aircraft and component parts. The latest stage covered “all of the aircraft’s structural, mechanical, and electrical systems” and the planned approach to cybersecurity, human factors and noise, the company said at the time. Read more in Bloomberg.

The latest Joby announcement comes a few weeks after one of its main rivals, Archer Aviation, said it had received FAA certification to begin operating aircraft commercially. Joby got its carrier certificate in 2022.

Archer, which also has Miami in its early launch plans, is also cooking up plans for an air taxi network that would link five key cities in the San Francisco Bay Area. If it happens, it could transform commuting in one of the most traffic-choked regions in the U.S., replacing drives of one to two hours with flights of 10 to 20 minutes, Axios reported.

READ MORE: Miami-based UrbanLink orders 20 Lilium eVTOL air taxis for a planned 2026 launch

2

Carevive Systems acquired

Health Catalyst, a publicly traded provider of data and analytics technology and services to healthcare organizations, announced it has successfully completed its acquisition of North Miami-based Carevive Systems, a leading oncology-focused health technology company centered on understanding and improving the experience of patients with cancer. Terms of the transaction were not released.

Oncology providers and life science researchers use Carevive’s flagship platform and/or Carevive data in routine clinical practice for treatment care planning, clinical trial screening, care coordination, remote patient monitoring, and/or post-treatment care. In combination with Carevive, Health Catalyst will have a strengthened ability to support care and process improvement in oncology and gain new insight into patient-reported outcomes and oncology registry data, the companies said. Carevive raised an $18 million Series C round in 2021.

Dan Burton, Health Catalyst CEO Dan Burton called Carevive “a team that is mission-aligned and deeply committed to leveraging data and analytics to improve patient care and outcomes in this space.”

3

South American coworking company opens in downtown Miami

A South American coworking company, WorQ Coworking, will open its first location in the U.S. in what is now the tallest building in Miami. In September, WorQ Coworking will move into a 24,625-square-foot space on the 16th floor of the 85-story Panorama Tower, said WorQ’s CEO Bryan Burgos. Burgos told the South Florida Business Journal that he picked Miami as its first U.S. location due to its growing tech scene and recent migration.

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Founded in 2019, WorQ currently operates five locations in Quito and Guayaquil in Ecuador; Bogota, Colombia; and Lima, Peru. Its clients include freelancers, startups, and international companies such as Uber Technologies UberEats, Motorola Solutions, Forever 21, Whirlpool, Kimberly-Clark, Clorox, and PepsiCo. Read more here.

4

Cyber A.I. Group names CEO

Cyber A.I. Group, an early-stage cybersecurity, A.I. and IT services company, recently announced that Walter L. Hughes will be the Miami-based company’s CEO.. Hughes has had a 15+ year executive career across eight distinct industries, including at Meta and Elevance Health (formerly Anthem). Hughes’ experience spans nearly two decades at pioneering technology enterprises, including some focused on artificial intelligence.

As a new company, Cyber A.I. Group will engage in the acquisition and management of domestic and international cybersecurity and IT services firms. The founders and management of Cyber A.I. are pursuing a “Buy-and-Build” strategy to rapidly expand operations by acquiring a broad spectrum of IT services companies and repositioning them to address fast-growing market needs for the cybersecurity and AI markets. 

5

Endeavor Miami and citizenM partner up

Endeavor Miami and hotel and lifestyle brand citizenM  announced their new partnership to support early stage and high impact entrepreneurs across North America, with Miami serving as a key hub in this initiative.

This partnership will allow Endeavor Miami’s network of entrepreneurs to access citizenM’s three Miami properties, meeting rooms, event spaces and membership program. citizenM is set to open its third hotel in Miami this summer in South Beach (following the openings of citizenM Miami Brickell in 2022, and citizenM Miami Worldcenter in 2023), demonstrating its growing commitment to the city.

READ MORE: Endeavor Miami’s 2024 Spring ScaleUp Cohort brought their best pitches to room full of investors

6

PayCargo wins $16.4M trademark infringement lawsuit

PayCargo, a Coral Gables-based fintech company, collected more than $16.4 million in damages after winning a federal trademark infringement and breach of contract lawsuit against CargoSprint, a Georgia-based company. Formed in 2008, PayCargo provides online payment and data management services for clients in the freight and cargo shipping industry.

In a press statement, PayCargo Vice Chairman Mitchell Baxt said he was gratified with the court’s decision. “We’ve worked hard to build PayCargo’s reputation as the leader in the industry, so we owed it to our customers, employees and business partners to defend it vigorously. Furthermore, the integrity of the industry needs to be protected to continuously advance and innovate.” Read more in the South Florida Business Journal.

PLUS

Opportunity knocks

  • The Source is hosting a regional Startup World Cup in Miami. Through a local Demo Day and Regional Finals in the Magic City, one startup will ultimately advance to the finals in San Francisco to compete for a $1 million investment prize.  Learn more and apply here by July 7 (deadline extended).
  • Learn more about the Built In Miami program and network with new innovators at the Built in Miami Demo Day June 25. This event marks the culmination of our intensive 18-week program, where founders have been working tirelessly to transform their groundbreaking ideas into successful startups.  Register here.
  • As part of its 100 Startup Project Scholarship Program, The Levan Center of Innovation is offering 10 entrepreneurs a one-year membership to the Levan Center of Innovation, thanks to the support of Memorial Healthcare System. Apply here.
  • Mana Tech is accepting applications for its Miami Immersion Program, a program that gives international startup founders on-site experience in Miami. Learn more and apply here. 

ICYMI

Have news to report? Email Nancy Dahlberg at nancy@refreshmiami.com and follow her on X @ndahlberg. Subscribe to Refresh Miami’s free weekly newsletter here. Thank you for supporting Refresh Miami.

Nancy Dahlberg
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