This funding will enable local innovators to further develop technologies to combat climate change, building resilience in South Florida and beyond
By Riley Kaminer
It’s an “overnight success” that’s been years in the making.
Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced that it has awarded $19.5 million to the South Florida ClimateReady Tech Hub.
This Tech Hub aims to turn our region into a top destination for climatetech innovators. While the initiative is led by Miami-Dade County, it involves all of our communities from Palm Beach down to Monroe Counties, and west to the bordering Miccosukee nation.
Francesca de Quesada Covey is the Regional Innovation Officer of the ClimateReady Tech Hub and Chief Innovation and Economic Development Officer of Miami-Dade County. At the heart though, de Quesada Covey is a technologist – having worked for years at Facebook before becoming chief investment officer at Miami VC TheVentureCity.
“This is such a validation of what we’ve been building here and how we’ve been building,” de Quesada Covey told Refresh Miami. “It’s going to make it easier to attract and retain the best talent. It’s also going to open up our universities for the first time so that entrepreneurs can test their products in real-life conditions.”
Opportunities abound at a wide range of local universities: From UM’s wind-wave-storm simulator and FIU’s Wall of Wind to FAU’s joint program with FPL around new models for heating and cooling to a demonstration site at FMU. De Quesada Covey added that the Miccosukee nation will host an implementation site, and as part of this initiative will receive job training led by Miami Tech Works.
“We’re so excited about the funding, but the funding in itself isn’t the goal,” shared de Quesada Covey. “The goal is making our environment and our community more resilient while improving the quality of life of our residents. We do that by creating products that make it easier and less expensive to live here and by producing well paying jobs.”
South Florida is already home to internationally-recognized startups and community organizations that are developing innovations to help address pressing climate issues. These include next-gen HVAC providers Blue Frontier, CO2 capturing concrete company Carbon Limit, BlueTech entrepreneur support organization Seaworthy Collective, and 3D-printed seawall startupas Kind Designs and 1Print – just to name a few.
For better or for worse, South Florida is somewhat of a testing ground for the effects of climate change, from rising sea levels to increased flooding to dangerously hot days. Yet within those challenges is an opportunity – both in terms of climate resilience as well as economics.
According to the Tech Hub team, this ClimateReady initiative will create 23,000 new green-union jobs (15,000 of which will go towards traditionally underserved communities) with an average base salary of $86,000 over the next five years. Over the next decade, the Tech Hub is projected to generate $41 billion in new revenue over the next decade, putting South Florida on the map for global climatetech.
“South Florida’s Tech Hub designation underscores our global leadership in climate solutions,” commented Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “This investment from the Biden-Harris administration will enable us to confront the climate crisis head-on, driving economic innovation and creating high-quality jobs here in South Florida.”
South Florida was one of the 31 Tech Hubs the EDA chose in October 2023 out of around 200 applicants nationwide. South Florida and 11 other Tech Hubs were awarded $504 million in total funding to implement these projects.
What made our region stand out? The EDA shared that South Florida’s application “demonstrated the leadership and potential to leverage regional assets, talent, and technological expertise to become a world-class, globally competitive technology innovation center.”
And why should budding climatetech entrepreneurs choose South Florida? In de Quesada Covey’s view: “Come here because we have the best support to help you grow build quickly, because you’ll be able to hire locally, and because we have people that have been doing this for a really long time.”
The Tech Hub, a coalition of local governments, businesses, universities and organizations, aims to raise an additional $50 million, having already raised $500,000 thus far from the Knight Foundation, Citadel CEO Ken Griffin, and others.
An uphill battle, of course – but de Quesada Covey is optimistic.
“For us, success looks like becoming an exporter of green talent, leading in the commercialization of climate technology, and continuing to be the most innovative and entrepreneurial place in the United States.”
Nancy Dahlberg contributed to this report.
READ MORE IN REFRESH MIAMI:
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- Federal government designates South Florida as one of 31 Tech Hubs, with focus on climate
- At global Aspen Ideas conference, tech touted as solution to our climate woes
- Carbon Limit’s carbon capturing cement continues to shine on global tech stage
- South Florida is a hotbed for climate tech innovation. Here are 5 reasons why
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