It was an evening of innovation, entrepreneurship, and networking at South Florida Tech Hub’s Pitch and Pour event on August 25th in Coral Gables.
Investor Tahl Milburn coaches a startup founder on his pitch.
Hosted by angel investor Tahl Milburn, the Investment Sub-Committee Chair of Tech Hub’s Startup Committee, at Merrick Manor, upwards of 55 people from the South Florida tech scene came to meet each other and discuss the opportunities present in our rapidly-growing ecosystem.
“It is a pleasure to have you all here, as we gather in one of the world’s most exciting tech ecosystems,” Milburn said in his opening remarks.
Startup founders were at the core of the event. These eight entrepreneurs had the opportunity to pitch their company to some of South Florida’s top investors. They each had three minutes to showcase their startup, followed by three minutes of questions, before moving onto the next investor. Community members were able to listen in on pitches as they were happening. All the while, there were ample networking opportunities, facilitating connections between startups and key local stakeholders.
Meet the featured startups!
Startups presenting at the Pitch and Pour event represented a cross-section of South Florida’s innovation economy – from media to upskilling, and everything in between.
Modern Trials – Leveraging electronic medical record data from a broad network of healthcare organizations to match patients in need of advanced treatment options with appropriate clinical trial opportunities.
Streann Media – SaaS platform that enables content providers to build their own distribution platforms. Read more about Streann Media in our member spotlight.
Startup co-founders sit with investors.
Roomaters – A startup that aims to make it easier to find roommates. Now building a communications platform focused on student housing.
Boca Code – A Boca Raton-based coding school, aiming to help connect budding technologists with some of South Florida’s most exciting tech firms.
Guiltless To Go – An app that provides the delivery of food for people with specific dietary needs.
Best Candidate – An election candidate search engine and campaign media manager.
Parkquility – Taking the headache out of parking by enabling consumers to reserve parking spots in advance.
Brain A.C.T.I.V.E. – Empowering businesses to improve their employees’ mental fitness.
A resounding success, and more to come
Mike Maniscalco, EVP of Technology at Applied Blockchain and Chair of Tech Hub’s Startup Founders Peer Group, underscored the importance of events like the Pitch and Pour for South Florida’s rapidly-expanding tech ecosystem.
Tech Hub CEO Nikki Cabus welcomes guests.
“It was an incredibly successful first event,” Maniscalco told South Florida Tech Hub. “We need to do more. It was clear from the amount of attendees that the appetite is huge. We should keep having more of these events, as people continue to be willing to come.”
This event is what the Startup Founders Peer Group is all about: bringing founders and entrepreneurs together to connect, share, and learn from each other in a safe setting. They typically meet once a month to share our successes, needs and resources. Through the work of the Startup Committee, participants attend events such as pitch clinics, contests, and investor connection events. They also hear from guest speakers and take part in summits and expos.
Serial entrepreneur and RaiseLink chief executive Chris Houghtaling was one of the experts hearing pitches at the event. Houghtaling said that he had been to similar events in other tech ecosystems internationally, but nothing quite like it in South Florida.
“Not only did it help startups improve their pitches, but it also allowed for ample networking in a relaxed and fun atmosphere,” commented Houghtaling.
Developing South Florida’s tech ecosystem
South Florida Tech Hub is the only tech ecosystem development organization active throughout our region, including Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and Martin counties. Through its events, committees, and advocacy, Tech Hub is at the forefront of developing South Florida as a cutting-edge, inclusive hotspot for innovation.
Founder of Florida Funders and Seedfunders Dave Chitester listens to startup founders’ pitch.
As South Florida rises to prominence on a global stage, events like Pitch and Pour are critical to bring together innovators from the entire region – uplifting all parties while also fostering a strong sense of community.
Tech Hub’s Startup Committee proudly supports and connects dozens of startup organizations and stakeholders in South Florida. It unites the following resources and leaders together to achieve common goals: Startup Accelerators & Incubators, Entrepreneur Support Organizations, Community-oriented Coworking Spaces, Venture Capital & Angel Investors, Economic Development & Government Partners, Corporate & University Innovation Programs and more.
Click here to view more photos from the Pitch & Pour startup event. 📸
Are you interested in getting involved in Tech Hub’s activities in South Florida? Come out and show your supPOURt! Visit TechHubSouthFlorida.org or email team@techhubsouthflorida.org for more information.