By Anayansy Hernandez
Miami is known for making headlines. Whether it’s for the latest club opening or the newest development, it’s not a city to shy away from the limelight. In recent years, it has rapidly solidified its position as a prominent tech hub.
According to the Midyear 2024 eMerge Insights Report, the South Florida region ranked 6th in the nation by deal count. The city also outperformed Austin and Seattle in venture capital activity, driven mostly by robust seed-stage activity. With institutions providing cutting-edge programs and tech giants relocating, it’s quickly becoming the go-to destination for tech enthusiasts, and it’s not hard to see why.
As the ecosystem grows, prominent tech communities have also emerged and Refresh Miami has interviewed five distinct communities assisting in Miami’s tech growth.
GPTuesdays [pictured above] is the community to visit for hands-on experience using artificial intelligence (AI). Grant Kurz, a software engineer, said he co-founded it in 2023 to address AI’s rapid advancements and the need for individuals to stay informed and connected. At 2,000 members strong across different platforms, the community meets in person weekly to educate on various sectors of AI. At a regular meetup, attendees can expect a deep dive into tools, prompt engineering, and technological transformation insights from tech giants like Bloomberg, Meta, Vanguard, and McKinsey & Company as well as experienced AI engineers in Miami.
“We’re also helping to upskill and reskill professionals. So we are now providing monthly AI workshops,” Kurz said. With the increasing demand for AI skills in the job market, GPTuesdays strives to provide resources and workshops to help individuals become AI engineers or more competitive in their careers. He described the workshops as a great opportunity for anyone who wants to dive deeper into a topic discussed during a GPTuesdays event.
Latinas in Tech Miami is a 1,000+ member community of cyber security experts, data scientists, entrepreneurs, and others focusing on supporting and connecting women, so they feel represented throughout all levels of the tech ecosystem. The community began in Silicon Valley in 2014 when their founder Rocio van Nierop, recognized a lack of Latina representation in the field she loved and decided to launch a groundbreaking nonprofit to open doors. Today, the community has 25 global chapters and over 30,000 members. “We target Latina professionals in tech and those interested in entering the industry,” said chapter leader Leslie Ramirez.
The Miami chapter meets quarterly and hosts a series of events including networking mixers, panel discussions, fireside chats, workshops, and skill-building sessions. Through its latest partnership with Brainstation, the community has awarded free courses in digital marketing, UX/UI design, and other technical areas to its members. Members also receive mentorship and job recruiting help. “Whether it’s people connecting organically, or reaching out to us looking for mentorship, we can connect them,” Ramirez said.
For those who love talking about AI trends, Miami AI Hub is the community for them. What began as a founder’s passion project is now a 3,000-member community providing AI-focused meetups, workshops, hackathons, and panel discussions at various locations across Miami. “As Miami grew as a tech hub, I saw an opportunity to build a space where AI enthusiasts, founders, and tech professionals could exchange ideas, collaborate, and learn from one another,” said founder Burhan Sebin.
In the past speakers from Apple, Microsoft, Google, global AI- scale-ups, and academia have shared their insights on topics ranging from AI agents to the ethics of regeneration AI models. An attendee favorite is the AI startups showcase, where founders share their latest projects and inventions. “As a former founder, I care about the entrepreneurs, and giving a platform to local AI startups is very important to show what’s next in the space,” Sebin explained.
Sebin believes that AI has the potential to reshape industries and create immense societal value and his goal is to ensure that Miami is at the forefront of these changes by equipping local talent and businesses with the tools and knowledge to thrive in this new era.
When Tech Flow founder, Nikolai Strakh, relocated to Miami from Russia, he had three problems he needed to solve- make new connections, build credibility for himself, and start learning English. Little did he imagine building a community would solve all three. Tech Flow’s first event in 2023 was a “Founders Monday” that featured Vitaly Korobko, director of developed countries region at inDrive, and drew in about 80 attendees. After his first success, Strakh was inspired and began hosting similar ones around the city to unite Russian-speaking tech entrepreneurs.
Today, Tech Flow hosts regular meetups and events at Mana Tech and various cities, including Tampa, Orlando, Austin, and Denver where members can network, share insights, and learn from experienced speakers. Strakh is focused on helping members navigate the United States market, build connections, and gain visibility, particularly for those Russian-speaking. “Our speakers are like mentors to our audience. They have a lot of experience in the U.S. market, so they help us understand the difference in culture, business, and corporate structure,” Strakh explained.
One impact Strakh is proud to have is its nonprofit donations. During each meetup, a nonprofit is highlighted and attendees have the option to donate -typically $1 per attendee – to that organization. After each event, the community donates the proceeds. “This initiative not only provides financial support to these nonprofits but also raises awareness about their work among attendees,” Strakh explained. With over 500 members and growing, Tech Flow is rapidly making a mark in the community.
AI Salon Miami is connecting founders with investors. The Miami chapter is an independent chapter of AI Salon, a global community of 40 branches bringing together AI founders, builders, investors, and partners to connect and collaborate. “The Salon aims to provide a space where ideas are shared, connections are forged, and innovation thrives,” said Patricia Tavira, president and founding board member.
The community meets at Mana Tech every third Thursday of the month and features a 90-minute speaker segment that can include fireside chats, panels, or presentations on hot topics. With its newest initiative, startups can pitch to a panel of three investors and the winner automatically earns a spot in the eMerge Americas accelerator. Currently, two companies, Syneurgy and VoiceMe, have secured their spots in the 2025 eMerge accelerator. In 2025, the community is also launching a syndicated fund that will provide greater opportunities for startups to access funding and support.
“AI Salon Miami isn’t just about technology — it’s about people. One-third of our attendees are investors, making our events an ideal place for founders to begin building relationships well in advance of fundraising,” Tavira said.
READ MORE IN REFRESH MIAMI:
- Innovating, scaling, adapting, collaborating: Here’s #MiamiTech founders’ roadmap for 2025. They share their plans, lessons, and advice for building stronger businesses and a thriving startup ecosystem.
- Miami VCs share what they’re focusing on in 2025: Investors predict a year of efficiency, strategic funding, and global innovation for South Florida’s tech ecosystem
- Cheers to #MiamiTech 2024: A global ranking, healthtech and proptech rising, megarounds, new funds, a climatetech hub & more. Read about South Florida’s big global moves, hot tech sectors, relocations and expansions, VC trends and, of course, AI. We’ve got your year in review.
- A December to remember: Was it the Art or was it the Tech?
anayansy@yansymedia.com.