1
Rapid Innovation Accelerator in Miami names director
Late last year, the US Department of Defense Office of Small Business Programs, MoveAmerica, a nonprofit focused on solving the critical emerging challenges facing our industrial base, and Miami’s Lab22C, a #MiamiTech-focused strategic advisory firm, came together to launch the Rapid Innovation Accelerator in Miami (RIA-Miami). This accelerator aims to help local small businesses step into the competitive defense sector, breathing new life into the city’s economy while strengthening the nation’s security. After all, defense powers about 3% of the U.S. GDP, around $746 billion annually – and the figure that is expected to surpass $1 trillion by 2033.
Now the accelerator has a new director, Solomon Stavis, who will be in Miami supporting businesses on their road to government contracts. Stavis previously was the director of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation and before that was a consultant with the World Bank and worked for the IMF, and he’s also been a startup co-founder. After spending his career building bridges between complex systems and entrepreneurial solutions, Stavis is bringing that expertise to help Miami-based companies break into the defense industrial base, and advance dual-use technologies that will make a positive impact on national defense and other areas within the federal government.
“Miami has a powerful and flourishing tech ecosystem, and I’m excited to help it grow even more by bringing more South Florida companies into the defense industrial base and federal contracting arena. The RIA – Miami is creating real pathways for innovators to contribute to national security and scale their technologies through federal partnerships,” Stavis said.
Since its launch, Purple Horizons and Gazitua Letelier have also become partners of the accelerator. The goal of this initiative is to strengthen the U.S. Defense Industrial Base and supply chain by fostering innovation through partnerships with industry and academia. To be a part of the RIA-Miami, visit gogovnow.com.
READ MORE IN REFRESH: Small businesses: Get ready for defense innovation through the new Rapid Innovation Accelerator
2
UrbanLink orders 47 more all- electric seagliders
Miami-based UrbanLink Air Mobility has expanded its partnership with REGENT Craft, increasing its order to 47 all-electric Viceroy seagliders, one of the largest commercial seaglider orders to date. With early delivery slots secured for late 2027 and early 2028, UrbanLink is positioned to be among the first operators in the U.S. to bring this revolutionary high-speed, over-water mobility solution to market — connecting high-demand coastal routes across South Florida and Puerto Rico with 180 mph, zero-emission vessels.
The seagliders will drastically reduce travel times – for example, think Miami to West Palm in 35 minutes — ease traffic congestion, and deliver a sustainable, all-electric alternative to short-haul flights and highway commutes. With this expanded fleet, the company will be able to offer high-frequency service across some of the most heavily trafficked short-haul routes in the United States. Seaglider operations based in Miami could serve up to 4.3 million passengers each year.
“UrbanLink’s order reflects a growing demand for convenient alternatives to short-haul air travel in the U.S. and positions Florida as a hub for innovations in advanced maritime mobility. “We’re proud to expand our partnership with REGENT and bring this revolutionary technology to more passengers traveling high-demand routes across Florida and Puerto Rico,” said Ed Wegel, Founder and Chairman of UrbanLink. ““This partnership propels Florida to the forefront of global innovation in advanced, all-electric mobility.”
READ MORE IN REFRESH: Miami-based UrbanLink is all aboard with future eVTOL cargo service
3
Brightline lowers commuter prices
While we are waiting for seagliders and flying taxis, we still have Brightline. The good news: Frequent riders have spoken, and Brightline has adjusted prices on its commuter passes – downward.
The updated prices, released May 16, mark a decrease for commuters traveling frequently between Miami and Fort Lauderdale and Miami and West Palm Beach, the South Florida Business Journal reported. The most significant price cut is for daily users: For example, the 40-ride per month pass between Miami and Fort Lauderdale dropped from $699 to $499, while the 40-ride pass between Miami and West Palm fell $899 to $599.
The 10-ride pass between Miami and Fort Lauderdale remains unchanged at $239, while Miami-West Palm is $299 for 10 rides.
Commute to Orlando frequently (or can’t get enough of theme parks)? It’s now $799 for 10 rides. Read more here.
4
DermaSensor adds Chief Commercial Officer, Advisory Board
DermaSensor, a Miami-based health technology company that commercialized the first skin cancer diagnostic tool for primary care physicians, announced the appointment of Carolyn Walsh as Chief Commercial Officer.
Walsh brings over 25 years of commercial leadership experience spanning digital health, medical devices, and remote patient monitoring. Most recently, she served as Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer at BioIntelliSense, where she led the commercialization of the FDA-cleared BioButton wearable medical devices and clinical intelligence solutions. Her prior roles include executive leadership positions at Fitbit Health Solutions, Qualcomm Life, and Johnson & Johnson.
The company also announces the creation of a Commercial Advisory Board with five new members, all industry leaders supporting this AI-powered, non-invasive device in becoming the next “tool of the trade” in primary care. They are: Stephen F. Meyer, former CEO of Welch Allyn and Operating Partner at Beecken Petty O’Keefe; Andrew Livingston,– former Co-founder and CEO of Doxy.me, the world’s largest telemedicine platform, and former Chief Innovation Officer at Harrow Health; Dr. Ainsley MacLean, a Harvard-trained neuroradiologist and former CMIO/CAIO at Kaiser Permanente; ason Bellet, Co-founder and Chief Business Officer of Eko Health; and Mike Hennessy Jr., President of MJH Life Sciences, one of the largest privately held healthcare marketing and data companies.
DermaSensor’s device utilizes optical spectroscopy and AI to provide an objective, non invasive result for skin cancer risk. The company received FDA clearance last year.
“With already having several leading health systems as customers and signing one new private practice a day, I am very excited to welcome these new industry leaders to further scale our commercial efforts and product adoption,” said Cody Simmons, CEO and co-founder of DermaSensor. “DermaSensor is the first FDA Cleared AI medical device with a dermatology-based intended use among 1,000+ AI-enabled medical devices,” Simmons adds. “Our mission remains clear: making effective skin cancer checks accessible — meeting patients right where they are.”
5
Dorsia partners with luxury condo developer
Continuum Company, a real estate development firm with offices in NYC and Miami, has become the first real estate partner of Miami-based Dorsia, the members-only platform that provides insider access to the world’s most desirable tables, cultural events, and experiences at your fingertips. As part of this partnership, buyers at Continuum Club & Residences and La Baia North will receive a Dorsia Premium Membership (valued at $5,000/year) upon contract signing.
Through Dorsia, buyers will unlock priority reservations and VIP experiences at elite dining destinations in Miami including Carbone, The Joyce, Mila, LPM, Cote and Boia De and New York hot spots like The Corner Store, Torrisi, La Tête D’Or, and Cote as well as exclusive access to nightlife and culinary experiences across New York, Miami, Los Angeles, London, Dubai, The Hamptons, Ibiza, the Amalfi Coast, and beyond.
“At Dorsia, we have built our entire business model around the unique ability to offer unprecendented access and frictionless experiences. The team at the new Continuum understands that their residents are seeking an elevated lifestyle that starts with where they live. Through a partnership with Dorsia, they are now able to extend these residents a perk like no other: the luxury of accessibility,” said Marc Lotenberg, Dorsia’s CEO and founder.
The luxury Continuum Club & Residences recently broke ground next to the Palm Tree Club in North Bay Village.
READ MORE IN REFRESH: Investors bet $50.4M on Miami-based Dorsia, a member-based reservation platform for top venues
6
Infinite Reality rebrands as Napster
Infinite Reality an immersive media company based in Boca Raton, has announced the company will rebrand as Napster Corporation. Infinite Reality acquired the assets of music streaming service Napster for $207 million earlier this year. The company also announced it is launching a new division, Napster AI, which will serve as the home for all of its AI products and services, starting with Napster Spaces, now available in beta. The company announced last month it is planning to develop a 60-acre site in Fort Lauderdale for a “next-generation technology and entertainment campus.” Also this year, Infinite Reality acquired Touchcast, a NYC-based agentic AI company, for $500 million. In January, news from Infinite Reality, formerly based in Connecticut, raised questions and attracted scrutiny when it claimed it had raised $3 billion from a then-unnamed investor.
7
Jobs, jobs, jobs
Betr – Head of User Acquisition
Boats Group – CRM & Automation Lifecycle Manager
Chewy – Associate Director of Pricing Product Management
Chewy – Security Engineer III
Chewy – Data Engineer I
DoorLoop – Customer Onboarding Specialist
DoorLoop – DevOps Engineer
eMed – Quality Analyst Intern
FirmPilot – Jr SEO Specialist
FirmPilot – Sr Site Reliability Engineer/ DevOps Lead
Handtevy – Sr Back End Software Engineer
Handtevy – Sr Security Engineer
Kandji – Principal Infrastructure Engineer
Kaseya – Director of EDR Engineering
HealthSnap – Business Process Analyst
Securitize – Social Media Manager
Vultr – Content Marketing Specialist
Vultr – People Operations Coordinator
For many more jobs, view Refresh Miami’s job board here
8-PLUS
Opportunity knocks
- The Ventures Global Startup Award 2025 is now open for applications, and there are no costs to founders. The Ventures is an international startup awards and venture club, originally launched in Silicon Valley, and it has a Miami chapter. The contest is your chance to pitch in front of top-tier investors, network with fellow founders, and join the global network. Soth Florida’s early stage founders – from pre-seed through Series A – are welcome to apply. Learn more and apply by June 5 here. (UPDATED)
- SPARC South Florida (Startup Pitch Accelerator Regional Competition) is accepting applications to compete for a $1 million prize in the Startup World Cup Global Pitch Competition and receive broad exposure for your startup and access to coaching and mentorship. Apply by July 1 here (UPDATED).
- Seaworthy Collective, a Miami-based non-profit BlueTech (ocean innovation) entrepreneur support organization and community, has opened applications for Cohort 6 of its updated flagship Startup Program, The Continuum Ocean Enterprise Studio and Incubator. This year, the Studio and Incubator will exclusively support US-based startups developing ocean data technologies and services, in alignment with the priorities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Ocean Enterprise Initiative. The Continuum partners include Braid Theory, Ocean Exchange, Seaworthy Collective, St. Pete Innovation District, Tampa Bay Wave, World Ocean Council, and the University of South Florida. Learn more and apply here by June 26.
- Endeavor Miami is accepting applications for its next ScaleUp Program. Apply for the ScaleUp program here. Apply here by August 22 for the EndeavorLab Women Founders cohort.
- The Cade Prize for Inventivity, named after Dr. Robert Cade, lead inventor behind Gatorade, celebrates inventors and entrepreneurs, who, through an innovative invention, demonstrate a creative approach to addressing problems in their field of expertise. Each year, Cade Prize winners receive over $100,000 in cash prizes and legal services with no strings attached. Find out more and apply here by July 10.
- Are you a pre-Series A startup founder looking to make your mark on a global stage for a $100,000 equity-free priae? Applications for TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200 are now open. Go to the Startup Battlefield 200 page to learn more and apply by June 9.
- 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 news: GoQuant nabs $4M to make crypto trading faster than ever
· Boca-based healthtech Dazos raises $25M Series A
· How Chrissybil Boulin and Vero Learning are redefining workforce intelligence
· 4 startups awarded $100K each to pilot their cargo management solutions at PortMiami
· Clinical trials underway for stem cell-derived ointment for blistering skin disorders
· Trading… it’s trending! Zéya is reimagining bartering for the swipe generation
· And much more here.
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 featuring startup news, tech job opportunities and events. Thank you for supporting Refresh Miami.
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