Miami has long been known for its sun-drenched beaches, non-stop nightclubs and world-class festivals, but startups? Not so much. Hear the phrase ‘tech hub’ and the first American cities that probably spring to mind are Silicon Valley or New York, but Miami is quickly becoming a worthy competitor to rival these other hubs.
According to the Kauffman Index, Miami has the highest startup density in the country at 247.6 per 100,000 people, so why is this city becoming such an attractive location? Contact SkyClub today to arrange a flight and find out for yourself. In the meantime, here’s why:
Miami: The Latin American tech capital
Miami’s startup scene ‘Silicon Beach’ is growing quickly, due in part to its strategic location at the gateway to Central and South America. While the city is located in the United States, it is now crowned as the capital of the Latin American digital landscape. Lots of entrepreneurs from Mexico to Brazil are seeking to set up shop here, while U.S companies are looking to invest in the region’s technology market.
What’s drawing people to Miami?
The city is home to a plethora of startups backed by venture capital firms (VCs), while big players like Facebook, Apple and Uber have opened regional offices here. One of the main benefits for startups here is that there is no state income tax, meaning it is much less expensive to set up a company here than in other cities.
Of course every startup needs funds and investment is starting to flood into the city, with an increasing number of VC firms establishing themselves in southern Florida. New York venture capital firm Scout Ventures, which was named a top 100 VC firm by Entrepreneur magazine, chose Miami as its first location outside of the Big Apple. It’s also crucial to have incubators and accelerators to nurture new talent, so companies like Venture Hive are providing the mentoring for entrepreneurs. Then there are new co-working spaces such as Building.co and Pipeline, which allow young businesses to rent short-term desks and office spaces in an altogether more collaborative environment.
So which startups are taking Miami by storm? Let’s take a look…
Modernizing Medicine
Modernizing Medicine provides a cloud-based electronic record system that allows medical practices to make their processes more efficient. There’s no writing involved, since their system is accessible from an iPad or from any web-enabled Mac or PC.
YellowPepper
Located in the heart of Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood, Yellowpepper brings mobile banking and payment solutions to countries across Latin America. Among their products they’ve created a revolutionary smart wallet called ‘Yepex’ that has been designed to make purchasing a breeze.
Open English
Open English is the most renowned online English school in Latin America, allowing users to learn English with native teachers from the comfort of their own home. Best of all, classes are available 24/7, so there are no opening and closing times for this school. Founded in Venezuela, the company is now headquartered in Coconut Grove, Miami.
LearnerNation
LearnerNation helps companies build a smarter, faster workforce with a modern, mobile Learning Management system that makes training simple and fun. This Miami-based startup provides e-learning software solutions for Fortune 100-500 companies, NGO’s, New York Times Best Selling Authors, and foreign and domestic government organizations.
While Miami has flown under the radar for quite some time, there’s now no ignoring this city as an upcoming startup hub. With a sunny climate, direct flights and easy access by air, Miami is becoming a very popular destination for business travellers, as well as for tourists. If you wish to see what the city’s tech scene is all about, give SkyClub a call on 0207 255 1234 or request a quote online to get there in style in First or Business Class.
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