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Uber bringing Rivian robotaxis to Miami in 2028
More robotaxi news rides up: Uber announced it is partnering with electric car maker Rivian Automotive to deploy robotaxis in Miami and San Francisco in 2028. Uber will invest up to $1.25 billion in Rivian through 2031 to build a fully autonomous fleet of Rivian R2 robotaxis. After Miami and Sa Francisco, Uber plans to expand to 25 more cities in the US, Canada and Europe by 2031.
Uber and Rivian expect to deploy 10,000 Rivian robotaxis on Uber’s rideshare network in the first phase of their partnership and have the option to negotiate the purchase of up to 40,000 more of the vehicles beginning in 2030.
“We’re big believers in Rivian’s approach — designing the vehicle, compute platform, and software stack together, while maintaining end-to-end control of scaled manufacturing and supply in the U.S. That vertical integration, combined with data from their growing consumer vehicle base and experience managing the complexities of commercial fleets, gives us conviction to set these ambitious but achievable targets,” said Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshah, in a statement.
Uber will join other robotaxi services already operating or eyeing South Florida. In January, Waymo launched its fully driverless electric robotaxi service in the area, it’s sixth major U.S. market. The service operates across downtown Miami and Miami Beach. In November, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said to expect Tesla robotaxis to arrive first in five cities, including Miami, without revealing a timeline.
READ MORE: Waymo is now taking on riders in Miami. Here’s what you need to know.
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Palantir teams up with South Florida company Moder
New-to-Miami Palantir and another South Florida company, Moder, have announced a strategic partnership to develop an AI-powered mortgage operations platform. By combining Palantir’s operational AI and data integration capabilities with Moder’s domain expertise in mortgage outsourcing, the companies aim to modernize the industry’s infrastructure, the companies said.
The platform utilizes Palantir’s Ontology to create an agentic AI framework that integrates with existing systems of record, translating complex operational policies into precise, auditable digital rules. The initiative has already seen successful early deployments with its first pilot customer, Freedom Mortgage. These initial phases have focused on streamlining key processes to improve speed and accuracy for both operating agents and homeowners. According to leadership from the organizations, the technology is designed to help mortgage servicers run more efficiently while providing a faster, more seamless experience for customers across the nation.
Beyond immediate operational gains, the partnership is positioned as a way to expand access to t homeownership. By unifying data throughout the full mortgage life cycle and automating governed workflows, the platform aims to improve affordability and lower borrowing costs. Moving forward, Moder, founded in 2021 and based in Fort Lauderdale, plans to leverage this scalable technology to deliver customized AI solutions to a broader range of clients across multiple financial sectors.
“Combining our deep expertise in the mortgage industry with Palantir’s data and AI capabilities, we’re already seeing measurable results improving the homeownership experience and helping mortgage servicers run more efficiently,” said Moder President and CEO Erik Anderson, in a statement. “This latest technology will accelerate at scale our ability to deliver customized and automated solutions to all our clients in multiple industries.”
The partnership comes a month after Palantir revealed it moved its headquarters office from Denver to Miami. Palantir CEO Alex Karp also purchased a $46 million mansion in Miami last year.
READ MORE: Palantir plants its HQ flag in Miami
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Exowatt opens Austin office
Exowatt announced the opening of its new Austin office as the Miami-based company accelerates deployment of sustainable power solutions to meet rapidly growing AI and data center demand.
Situated on an 11-acre campus, the new facility features 48,000 square feet of integrated office and warehouse space. This site will serve as a strategic hub for Exowatt’s engineering, operations, and manufacturing, providing the necessary scale to accelerate production as the company meets surging demand for its modular energy systems through a domestically built supply chain.
Exowatt says the Southwest has become the epicenter of the U.S. AI infrastructure buildout, and Austin was the logical choice to anchor its expansion as it scales production to deliver clean power at the scale AI demands.
“We are witnessing a historic collision between the digital demand for AI and the physical reality of our power grid,” said Exowatt’s co-founder and CEO Hannan Happi. “Exowatt believes energy should be an enabler of progress, not a constraint. Our new Austin campus allows us to scale at the pace of our customers, delivering the foundational infrastructure that will define this decade of technological growth.”
The Austin expansion builds on strong company momentum, including the launch of ExoRise, a dedicated business arm focused on turnkey powered land solutions in high-solar regions across the U.S. Southwest, and a $50 million Series A extension closed at the end of last year.
READ MORE: Exowatt pulls in $50M to keep the AI boom from blowing a fuse
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Miami startup Create With Cura partners with Gary Vee on new product
Create With Cura has partnered with Gary Vaynerchuk and his collectible character brand, VeeFriends, to launch what they say is the cleanest fruit snack in the market to date. Very Luckee was formulated by both Vaynerchuk and his wife Dr. Mona Vaynerchuck. Very Luckee was launched to the consumer packaged goods community at Expo West, the largest trade show in the health and wellness industry.
Founded by Jose Perrone and Krishna Chatpar, Create with Cura is building what the team calls the modern General Mills – a platform designed to repeatedly launch and scale the next generation of food and beverage brands. Instead of spending years building a single product, Cura operates more like a startup studio for consumer brands, partnering with creators, athletes, and cultural figures to launch products quickly and bring them to national retailers.
In just a few years, the Miami-based startup has launched more than six brands, with plans to double its portfolio by the end of the year.
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West Palm’s Ondas acquires UK defense tech firm
Ondas, a West Palm Beach-based provider of autonomous aerial and ground robot intelligence, completed the acquisition of UK company Rotron Aerospace, which develops advanced unmanned aerial systems and long-range autonomous platforms designed for extended-reach operations and autonomous strike missions.
The acquisition expands Ondas’ capabilities across a range of unmanned aircraft technologies supporting long-endurance operations and mission-ready autonomous systems. Rotron’s portfolio includes eVTOL platforms, long-range unmanned aircraft, advanced aero-engines, and integrated propulsion systems known for their high power-to-weight efficiency and reliability in demanding aerospace and defense environments. With the transaction now complete, Rotron will be Ondas’ UK-based go-to-market platform, strengthening Ondas Autonomous Systems’ ability to design, develop, and scale next-generation unmanned systems supporting defense, security, and critical infrastructure missions.
“Rotron’s propulsion and aircraft engineering capabilities represent a critical addition to the Ondas Autonomous Systems platform,” said Eric Brock, Chairman and CEO of Ondas. “Their advanced aero-engine technologies and long-range unmanned aircraft significantly expand the endurance and operational reach of next-generation autonomous systems,”
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NETWRTH partners to deliver digital infrastructure, authentications for RWAs
NETWRTH, a Wynwood-based retailer and resale operating system for rare sneakers, streetwear and collectibles, and Parallel Worlds, a New York City-based technology company focused on cultural asset infrastructure, announced a strategic partnership to introduce persistent digital records and RFID-enabled identification across NETWRTH’s retail and secondary market ecosystem.
Through secure digital records and embedded RFID technology, select sneakers, garments, and collectibles will carry an identity that remains with the asset from initial sale through private ownership and future resale. Initial deployment will begin with select inventory categories, followed by broader expansion across NETWRTH’s sneaker, streetwear, and collectible offerings. The initiative, part of NETWRTH’s technology strategy,is supported by its participation in innovation programs including AWS, NVIDIA Inception, XION blockchain and Black Ambition.
“Markets mature when infrastructure catches up. We’re building the rails culture has been missing for retail and resale,” said Justin Elliott, Co-Founder and CTO of NETWRTH. “This partnership allows the assets we handle to carry a verified identity throughout their lifecycle, strengthening confidence for collectors today and in the future.”
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Coming up: A free tech PR workshop with Hype Lab on Roam
If your PR strategy only kicks in when you have news, you might just have a press release habit. Hype Lab is hosting Y Communicator, a hands-on PR workshop for founders and business owners, on Wednesday, March 25 at 12 PM ET at Hype Lab Theater on Roam. The session, led by Hype Lab co-founders Matt Pressberg and Jeff Weisbein, will cover how to craft messaging that resonates, pitch reporters without annoying them and use AI as a force multiplier in communications without sounding like a robot.
As AI reshapes search, discovery and reputation, PR has never been more important for early-stage and growth companies. Whether you’re prepping for a funding announcement or figuring out where PR fits into your growth plan, Y Communicator is designed to give you the fundamentals. The workshop is free and open to non-Roam members. Register here: https://ro.am/hypelab/y-communicator
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Jobs, jobs, jobs
Candex – Customer Success Manager
Chewy – Catalog Analyst
eMed – Sr Software Engineer
Kaseya – Marketing Manager
Lennar – Principal Machine Learning Engineer
Neocis – Quality Engineer
Neocis – Systems Engineer – Integration & Test
Nubank – Compliance Specialist
Nubank – Sr Security Analyst
Palantir Technologies – Workplace Operations Analyst
Ramp – Risk Operations Specialist, Payments
Find more jobs on Refresh Miami’s job board here.
PLUS
Opportunity knocks
- Palantir is seeking American high school students who’ve found a problem worth solving — and are ready to confront it now. If selected, you’ll receive a $10,000 Valley Forge grant, full access to Palantir’s software platform, and support from Palantir engineers. Apply here by March 30. [Read MORE: Palantir plants its HQ flag in Miami]
- Join the eMerge AI Hackathon, a day of building AI solutions, on April 18. Judges from Meta, Lightship Capital and Haize Labs are already on board. Register here.
ICYMI – Catch up!
- Latest special report: How Miami became a launchpad for cross-border payment startups
- Latest fundraise: VeryAI raises $10M to prove who’s real online
- Misfit Labs unveils its AI-native venture studio
- Miami Angels and New World Angels are combining to form statewide network
- E-Force Marine is building Miami’s first electric catamaran
- Boca startup Sivotec combines genetics and AI to help clinicians diagnose diseases
- EducUp crosses into profitability as it scales licensing education across the U.S.
- With AudioCardio, you never skip ear day
- Female funding sets record nationally, but there’s more to this story
- 8+ things to know in #MiamiTech: Palm Beach County picked for defense firm’s maritime HQ, plus news from Israel Tech Week, Seaworthy Collective, Palm Tree Crew, Palm Peak Capital, Voloridge, Moderne, job opportunities & more
- Much more paywall-free #MiamiTech news here.
Have news to report? Email Nancy Dahlberg at [email protected] 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.
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