South Florida Tech HubSouth Florida Tech Hub
17
Jan, 2022

By Riley Kaminer

Member Spotlight | Guaranteed Removals/Erase.com

Read Time 3 Minutes

Mission: To help businesses and individuals protect their online reputation

Launched: 2014

HQ: Miami and Ontario (Canada)

FTEs: 60

Website: Erase.com

 

According to research from Venture Forward, South Florida has one of the highest concentrations of microbusinesses in the US. For small businesses, developing a strong online presence is a particularly important part in gaining traction and standing out from the competition. Negative, inaccurate, and malicious online reviews can prove damaging to businesses of all shapes and sizes, but small businesses are particularly vulnerable.

The world is more digital than ever, and businesses need to stay on top of their digital footprint. Forums, review sites, and social media all have the potential to amplify outdated, fake, and negative information.

That’s where Guaranteed Removals/Erase.com comes in. Their team of experts knows how to navigate thorny issues around managing reputational issues. Their mission is to “combat the negative” both in terms of content removal as well as counterfeiting piracy, malicious doxxing, and revenge websites.

“We are at the forefront of what we do,” said Roque Rodon, Director of Marketing Technology at Erase.com. “No one can offer a service quite like we do.”

The exact techniques used by Erase.com are unique to each client’s specific situation, but Roque explained that their approach is a mix of utilizing legal resources, and industry knowledge to fight on their clients behalf for the removal of harmful content.

Vicki, Erase.com’s social media expert, told South Florida Tech Hub that her team “is a fusion of expert content creators, SEO specialists, and removal engineers that focus on protecting and improving our clients online image. Overall, we are building a positive online presence for a client that generally doesn’t have one.”

“It doesn’t necessarily mean that they have negatives to begin with,” she continued. “We do have clients that come to us that just want to have a good presence online in general.”

Clients for Guaranteed Removals and Erase.com run the gamut from individuals and small businesses to major corporations.

For people and companies looking to remove negative content online, Roque suggests getting in touch with Erase.com. “We offer services that businesses and individuals don’t have the time or resources to achieve,” he explained. Roque argued that it’s more efficient to engage Erase.com’s diverse team of experts: from lawyers and engineers to web developers and search engine optimizers.

The company, which was acquired last year by Miami-based entrepreneur David Centner, currently has 60 employees. Founded in Canada in 2014, Guaranteed Removals now has a rapidly-growing presence in South Florida.

Centner, who is Chairman of Erase.com, has been a vocal advocate for the growth of South Florida’s tech ecosystem. “During the pandemic, Miami has seen an unparalleled migration of technology, financial services, blockchain, and other industries relocating or opening new offices,” Centner said in a statement. “As a Miami native, I couldn’t be prouder that my hometown is experiencing so much positive momentum, and we intend to aggressively grow our Miami footprint.”

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20
Dec, 2021

By Riley Kaminer

CAI Autism2Work Uplifts and Empowers Neurodiverse Talent

Read Time 3 Minutes

Increasing diversity in the workplace is a major topic for business leaders in South Florida and beyond. One important – but often overlooked – part of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives is making a workplace welcoming to neurodivergent employees. Up to 20% of Americans can be classified as neurodivergent: a term that includes developmental and neurological differences such as autism, OCD, ADHD, and dyslexia.

CAI, a leading business technology services firm headquartered in Allentown, PA, is committed to helping private and public organizations drive value, improve productivity, and enhance customer experience by realizing the benefits of neurodiversity. The company, which has a major footprint in South Florida and plays an active role in our local tech scene, runs a program called CAI Autism2Work. Their unique employment model is designed to bring the neurodiverse talent pool into the workforce. CAI manages not only the recruiting, selection, and training of team members, but also the cultural integration, on-the-job supervision, skill development, and ongoing performance management.

CAI’s Michael Park, Executive Vice President, leads CAI Autism2Work. He explained to South Florida Tech Hub that the program aims to empower neurodiverse talent to pave the way towards a successful career.

“The program is about taking individuals who are extremely talented and just unable to break into the job market on their own because their neurodiversity may prevent them from making it through a typical onboarding and recruiting process,” said Park.

CAI’s Job Readiness Training invites neurodivergent individuals to showcase their talents in a supportive environment by replacing the traditional interview with an assessment and extensive evaluation. Then, upon successful completion – candidates can become eligible for an offer of employment. Once in the workplace, team members receive guidance, mentorship, coaching, on-the-job training, and continuous professional development from a neurodiversity-certified team lead.

Park emphasized that this program is a great talent pipeline at a time when the labor market is tight. “Right now, we have more positions to fill than we have available candidates,” he said. “This is an untapped talent pool.”

CAI Autism2Work was founded in 2013. But Park said that the initiative has seen “substantial growth every year,” particularly in the last two years. In 2021 alone, they realized a 38% year-over-year increase in the number of neurodivergent individuals placed in employment opportunities

Jen Boyer, a South Florida-based advisory client executive at CAI, noted that loyalty among employees is waning in the era of the so-called ‘great resignation.’

“People in this program can be some of the most loyal employees that anyone would ever have,” said Boyer. “They’re happy, confident, in a good environment and are tremendously successful.”

Boyer has seen the power of this program firsthand. A family member of hers recently went through the job readiness training. Ultimately, she said that the family member was not quite ready to work with clients. “But just watching the team work with him on a regular basis, and seeing the confidence and exposure he got, makes me choke up.”

She continued: “It was pretty amazing. He never had anything like that before.”

Boyer praised South Florida Tech Hub’s DEI efforts, spearheaded by CEO Nikki Cabus: “The efforts she’s making on expanding diversity in all of our South Florida tech communities is remarkable.”

Learn more about CAI’s neurodiversity efforts by visiting their website.

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13
Dec, 2021

By Alan Shimel

Ask Not What South Florida Tech Hub Can Do For You

Read Time 4 Minutes

It has been great to see the great progress that South Florida Tech Hub has been making over these last few months. The joining of Tech Lauderdale (SFTA) and Palm Beach Tech (Tech Hub) promise to finally realize the potential that our local community holds.

Here at Techstrong Group we think it is important to be good community members. Towards that end we have tried to support South Florida Tech Hub and other community players like Boca Code whenever we can. We don’t have any sponsors based down here. This isn’t a big area for our community members. But nevertheless, we participate. It really was our pleasure to be a presenting sponsor of their ‘One Brand | One Voice’ Gala event at Signature Grand recently celebrating the unification between both organization. 

For those of you who did not attend there was a genuine excitement in the air that finally it is all coming together for the local tech scene here in South Florida. In my short speech at the Gala, I spoke about the elements needed to form a successful startup community that my friend Brad Feld has outlined in his “Startup Communities” series of books.  It really does seem like we have all the elements to make this happen for all of us.

But there is one thing I forgot to mention in the excitement of that evening. And that is selflessness.  To paraphrase John F. Kennedy, “ask not what South Florida Tech Hub can do for you. Ask what you can do for South Florida tech hub.”

What do I mean by that? Let me explain. Let’s be honest, for most of you reading this making South Florida Tech Hub and the community it serves successful will result in you and/or your business benefitting.  For all the altruistic sentiment expressed, we all have our own reasons for wanting this community to thrive. More customers, more money, more investments, more jobs, more, more, more.  But hey there is nothing wrong with that. As Gordon Gekko in the movie Wall Street says, “greed is good, greed is what made America great.”

But a community is a delicate thing. You can’t just take and take some more. A lesson I have learned at Techstrong where our audience is made up of techies (developers, DevOps teams, cyber and cloud native folks) is that you can’t be too pushy, to salesy, too one way.  You need to do things for the common good.  You have to realize that the rising tide lifts all the boats.

That means you do things without an immediate payback. Sometimes the benefit to you is a dotted line, not a solid line. You need to just let that karma wheel spin and hope it comes back to you. 

I am reminded of when I was much younger and for many businesspeople joining the rotary or the chamber of commerce or even the knights of Columbus, the Elks and all those kinds of clubs were in style.  You went to those organizations and you were immediately the prey for the lawyers, accountants and even funeral directors that were already members.  Same thing applies here.  New members shouldn’t feel like they have to run an obstacle course of existing members reaching out to offer their services.  How about just meeting new people and welcoming them into the community. Get to know them, don’t try to sell them something or use them for your own gain. 

Several people at the Gala the other night asked me “why do you think we haven’t been more successful building a community here up to this point?”  There is more than one reason for this. But one of them for sure is that we need more people who are doing this for the right reasons and the right way.

From what I have seen from Nikki Cabus, Tech Hub’s newly appointed CEO, and team lately and the broader audience the other evening, we have a good core of people who are doing this right.  We need more.

I would ask each of you reading this join the team and lets do this right. 

 

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13
Dec, 2021

By Riley Kaminer

Member Spotlight | Boca Code

Read Time 3 Minutes

Mission: To teach the next generation of software engineers and supply South Florida’s tech companies with top talent

Launched: 2020

Instructors: 7

Website: BocaCode.com

 

Todd Albert has been coding practically since he started reading. “I’ve been coding since I was seven years old, when my dad first brought home a computer,” he told South Florida Tech Hub. “There was nothing to do on it except write code!” 

A young Albert would devour computer magazines and eventually take part in high school coding competitions. He ended up pursuing a career as a climate scientist, which enabled him to travel the world and work with major organizations including NASA and NOAA.

All the while, however, coding was still a major part of Albert’s life: “I loved running my own programs and writing code.” After successfully completing a PhD, he re-entered the tech world full-time by teaching coding. 

Albert’s passion for coding led him to eventually work as the lead developer for a few South Florida tech companies, including his own agency. While in these positions, Albert began to realize that there was a lack of talent in our area. 

“So I decided to combine my teaching background and my coding background to create a code school, Boca Code” said Albert. “Our goal is to be the best code school that there is so that people come to us first for talent, and our students are in the highest demand.”

Boca Code’s courses stand apart from the crowd because, according to Albert, instead of starting students out on “the easy stuff” like HTML and CSS, at Boca Code they “jump right into the fundamentals: algorithms and data structures.”

“We get the students writing actual code on day one, and teach things from a high level architectural level perspective,” explained Albert. He said that this approach trains students to “think and code like a senior engineer right off the bat.”

Boca Code’s main offering is a full-time, 10-week intensive software engineering course. “With this course, students become a top software engineer in 10 weeks,” said Albert. The code school also has a handful of courses covering topics such as data analytics and python, user experience design, and game development.

Despite just launching last year, Boca Code already has a series of success stories. For example, one recent high school graduate got his first-ever job after taking Boca Code’s 10-week course. A 33 year old immigrant mother who had never coded decided to switch careers, got a scholarship to Boca Code’s software engineering course, and landed a job making $70,000 a year. And a Pizza Hut night manager was able to supercharge his college computer science degree and land a life-changing job after a stint at Boca Code.

Why Boca? Albert says it’s a quiet powerhouse. “While Microsoft, Apple, and Google were getting started in Silicon Valley, IBM was building the first personal computer here in Boca,” he acknowledged. Nowadays, Albert underscored that Boca has a thriving ecosystem of more than 400 startups and even a handful of unicorns: “Miami is always getting a lot of attention, but the tech scene in Boca is chugging away.”

Interested in leveling up your career? Check out Boca Code’s offerings by visiting their website.

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06
Dec, 2021

By Riley Kaminer

Member Spotlight | Techstrong Group

Read Time 3 Minutes

Business: The go-to source for unbiased information, insights and connections for IT professionals looking to excel personally and professionally.

HQ: Boca Raton

Employees: 40

Website: TechStrongGroup.com

The tech world is changing fast, and there is no shortage of information online that purports to keep you abreast of it all. But what can you trust? How do you know that you’re getting the most up-to-date, unbiased info out there? 

Whether you’re a CxO, IT professional, cybersecurity expert, or any other role in the tech industry, you might benefit from some of the Techstrong Group’s resources.

The Boca Raton-based omnichannel content company is empowering people and companies to come together and learn about what’s happening in the worlds of digital transformation, cybersecurity, the cloud, and DevOps.

Techstrong has a handful of business units, including a media arm that runs online communities including DevOps.com, Security Boulevard, Container Journal, and TechstrongTV. They also have a focus on professional associations, bringing tech leaders, consultants, and vendors together to share their knowledge and learn from each other.

Through their Techstrong Live! division, the team will be hosting more in-person, virtual, and hybrid events over the coming months. The company anticipates hosting roadshows and conferences in some of the biggest cities in the US.

One of the most high-profile events they are planning is a Digital CxO conference, which will aim to bring together upwards of 100 C-level executives together for learning and networking in the second quarter of next year.

At the helm of Techstrong is Alan Shimel. This serial entrepreneur has seen his fair share of tech fads over his decades in the industry, and he has a keen ability to identify what trends are here to stay.

“I’m always excited about technology,” Shimel told South Florida Tech Hub. “That’s why I love doing what I do.”

Of course, one of the biggest trends on the minds of technologists today is the so-called ‘Web3’ movement. Shimel is not a fan of the moniker: “it’s just what’s next,” he said.

“I was there for Web 1.0 and Web 2.0. Is crypto real? Right? And blockchain? Yes.”

For Shimel, a lot of the Web3 trends can be traced back to the move towards the cloud. “Covid also accelerated digital transformation,” he acknowledged. 

Having lived in South Florida for the better part of two decades, Shimel is bullish on the local tech ecosystem. He underscored the lack of innovation and tech talent early on: “When I first came down here, it was a desert.” But Shimel asserted that “this began to change a couple of years ago, thanks to some local initiatives.” 

He highlighted South Florida Tech Hub as a particularly beneficial organization, since it aims to unite technologists from the entire region. “Traditionally, what’s held South Florida back is that every 10 miles is a new territory of someone who controls that local scene, whether it’s an organization or a university or company.” Shimel said that bringing the tech community together on a regional basis will help compete with other innovation hotspots he’s experienced, such as Austin and Boulder.

The Techstrong Group is hiring! Learn more about joining this rapidly-growing team by visiting TechstrongGroup.com.

22
Oct, 2021

By Nikki Cabus

Mayor Daniella Levine-Cava addresses 200 private investors at Miami conference

Read Time 3 Minutes

More than 200 private investors met at Fuel Venture Capital and IDC Venture’s 2.0 Expand Conference

More than 200 private investors from around the world gathered at the Rubell Museum for exclusive briefings by Miami-based Fuel Venture Capital and IDC Ventures.

During the two day conference titled “2.0 Expand,” founders and CEOs of some of Fuel’s 31 portfolio companies presented on the state of the union, growth across various tech industries and their visions of the future.

Founders from South Florida startups such as Boatsetter, Recargapay, Taxfyle, Bolt Mobility, and Ubicquia joined founders from global unicorns and soon-icorns such as Tradeshift, Curve and others.

“It was an incredible two-days of sharing, discovering and connecting. We had colleagues, investors and founders from around the world attend our conference in Miami with our partners IDC Ventures… and even more watching globally through our livestream,” said Ransdell. “I can speak for everyone in the room when I say that it was truly inspiring to listen to the progress made by the companies and founders we have put time and energy into. It’s easy to get lost in the day to day hustle, so having an event like this is crucial to being reminded of why we all do this in the first place— to change the world.”

Maggie Vo, Fuel Venture Capital’s first female General Partner and Chief Investment Officer shared her journey and stressed how transition from the public markets to the world of venture capital was spurred by the realization that value is continually shifting to actors in early-stage private-market deals. She wants to support innovative startups that have the potential to change the world.

“2.0 Expand allowed new connections to be made and existing relationships to be strengthened,” says Vo. “The stage was the perfect place to show off our portfolio investments, talk about the state of the union and spark further conversations about what’s next. As Jeff always says, there is nothing like being able to meet someone in person, shake hands and discuss how the companies we back are changing the world.”

On Thursday, Mayor of Miami-Dade County, Daniella Levine-Cava joined moderators Jeff Ransdell, Managing Director of Fuel Venture Capital and Bobby Aitkenhead, Managing Director of IDC Ventures alongside panelists Steve McLaughlin, CEO of FT Partners, Al Goldstein, Executive Chairman Avant, and Fernando González, CEO of Coru, for a fintech fireside chat.

The conversation quickly led to Miami’s booming ecosystem (startups raised a record $2.4 billion over 179 deals in the first nine months of 2021) and fintech’s role in the growth of the city.

When asked how she’s feeling about the tech world, Mayor Levine-Cava said she’s bullish on Miami-Dade, even going as far as saying she believes we are the center of the universe. She told Jeff Ransdell and other panelists, “we’re here for you” and that there are two kinds of people “the people who live here [Miami] and the people who will.”

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ABOUT Fuel Venture Capital

Fuel Venture Capital was founded in 2017 in Miami with the goal of fueling a modern economy based on knowledge and vision. Industry agnostic in our venture sourcing, we target exceptional entrepreneurs with groundbreaking ideas and professional track records, favoring early and late-stage companies propelled by exponential technologies. The firm’s “founder focused, investor driven” approach balances a commitment to propelling portfolio companies to success and delivering enhanced, risk-mitigated returns to our investors – ultra-high net worth individuals and the institutions that serve them.

ABOUT IDC Ventures

By entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs. IDC Ventures seeks to identify, invest in, support, and propel disruptive companies at the forefront of digital innovation. Companies led by visionary entrepreneurs, with agile organizations, committed to execution, and an unwavering commitment to their teams, their investors, and most of all, the realization of their vision. IDCV backs industry-defining founders from Series A to growth stages in Europe, the US, and Latin America, and primarily in the verticals of fintech, marketplaces, and platforms. IDC Ventures is the venture capital arm of Grupo IDC, a Latin American investment bank and asset management firm founded in 1995.

18
Oct, 2021

By Nikki Cabus

Tech Hub intern receives scholarship from Junior Achievement

Read Time 4 Minutes

The JA Circle of Wise Women 2021 Rosé Soirée Raises Over $90,000!

Over 160 guests attended this year’s Junior Achievement of South Florida Rosé Soirée. The event is pink-covered classy evening of networking among some of South Florida’s most prominent female leaders, honoring the year’s Woman of Wisdom or “WOW” and raising funds for Junior Achievement programs and student scholarships.

The title sponsor, CITY Furniture, has a strong commitment to JA South Florida with Andrew Koenig, CITY’s President, being the Vice Chair of the Board. Andrew is a Tech Hub Board member as well.

“CITY is proud to support JA-South Florida. We are so proud of the work they do to help develop our youth, teach them financial skills and literacy and help get our future workforce ready for work. The work they do for these kids is nothing short of amazing, ‘ says Koenig.

‘The Circle of Wise Women is a vibrant group of women – who are passionate about and dedicated to Junior Achievement’s mission of empowering youth with the knowledge, ability and confidence to navigate their futures, drive our economy, and lead our community.’ The JA Circle of Wise Women 2021 Rosé Soirée raised over $90,000!

The 2021 Woman of Wisdom honored was Rita Case, CEO of Rick Case Automotive Group. The Circle also pinned 16 new members, awarded three deserving female students with scholarships and celebrated being together again. One of those new members was Kimberly Sarni, Managing Director at South Florida Business & Wealth, a Tech Hub corporate member and partner.

“Junior Achievement is one of the most amazing non-profits for the mere fact that children are learning the fundamentals in a real life environment. They are learning trades, managerial skills, governmental policies, all while working and managing their own business’s. After touring JA World, and realizing I had the opportunity to join The Circle of Wise Women. To be recognized in this community of leaders, inspiring women and most of all like minded individuals who are creatively changing children’s lives as inspired me to continue to give back,” said Sarni. She continued, “Laurie Sallarulo (JA President) and Diana Metcalf have been instrumental in my acceptance, and at our inductee ceremony I realized that so many of the Circle were friends of mine. I am so very humbled for the opportunity to be a part of this amazing organization.”

This year’s event awarded three local girls and JA Fellows Company Incubator alumni as the Girl’s Scholarship Recipients which included our Tech Hub Community & Programs Intern, Huguette St. Hubert. 

“We are incredibly proud of our three JA Circle of Wise Women Girls Scholarships Recipients: Arriyona Gillett (unable to attend), Huguette St. Hubert and Rose Octeus!” said Martha Rios, Director of Entrepreneurship Initiatives at  JA South Florida. “These three outstanding ladies participated in JA Programs (JA Fellows and JA Summer Youth Employment) that allowed them to create real businesses during the school year and intern and local organizations like Tech Hub during the summer.”

Huguette told Tech Hub that, “This scholarship will be pivotal in helping me reach my career goal … and now understand the importance of soft and hard skills, networking, and professionalism. I feel more confident when I am applying for a job, interviewing for a position, and communicating with others. I now take ownership of my actions and responsibilities and portray the characteristics of a true leader.”

“I have become an open-minded person, ” says St. Hubert. “I take advantage of every opportunity that is provided to me. I believe that JA career bound truly taught me the skills necessary to be successful in today’s workforce. Thank you to Junior of Achievement of South Florida, Circle of Wise women, and all the supporters for those amazing opportunities. I would be remiss if I didn’t thank the outstanding staff at JA for their hard work and dedication.”

When you’re asked to support Junior Achievement today, I hope you will give as generously as you can and support students like me,” urges St. Hubert.

 

To find out more about Junior Achievement South Florida and this year’s Circle of Wise Women’s Rosé Soirée: https://jasouthflorida.org/events/rose-soiree/

15
Oct, 2021

By Riley Kaminer

Member Spotlight | Angelus Advisors

Read Time 3 Minutes

Mission: Serve as a trusted advisor to help businesses find and implement the most appropriate and effective enterprise resource planning systems.

Launched: 2017

HQ: Miami

Employees: 3

Website: AngelusAdvisors.com

The days of pen and paper were already numbered in early 2020, but the pandemic has served as a definitive push for businesses to digitize their operations. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems play a key role in enabling companies to integrate a wide range of business functions into digital tools. 

These efficiency gains are no longer nice-to-haves, but are rather necessities for running a business in 2021. This is a big business: Oracle notes that the market size for ERP software is “in a phase of rapid expansion,” and expects the total market size to exceed $50 billion by 2024.

There is a wide range of solutions for companies – from tools streamlining the administration of human resources to financial management software. While the abundance of options is positive for consumers, it can be difficult for leaders to make the right decision about what software is best for their company at any given time.

That’s where Tony Velasquez steps in. He and his team at Angelus Advisors are the trusted advisors for some of America’s most prominent companies, including Ryder, Papa John’s Pizza and PGA of America. They help businesses determine which ERP platforms fit their needs, outlining a game plan to help them procure and implement the software that is right for them.

“My objective is to take a client from point A to point Z,” Velasquez told South Florida Tech Hub. “We help them configure the system, identify their needs and requirements. Then we help build it, test it, and deploy it.”

At the moment, Angelus Advisors primarily consults on projects involving Workday, an industry-standard ERP platform used by more than 55 million workers worldwide. The platform enables companies to bring core activities like payroll, recruitment, and time tracking to the cloud.

“I’m focused on Workday because I’ve been working in that ecosystem for almost ten years now,” Velasquez said, noting that he started by working for a few implementation consultancies, including one bought by Aon Hewitt. However, Velasquez and team advise on a wide range of ERP systems, including smaller platforms like Paycor and NetSuite. 

In 2017, Velasquez decided to make the switch to building his own business because working at home would enable him to spend more time with his family.

What motivates Velasquez is giving back. “Why I do what I do is because I want to help my clients,” he explained, noting that it can be a minefield to determine which ERP systems are the most appropriate for them. 

Velasquez is particularly interested in giving back to the Tech Hub ecosystem, which he feels has “helped [him] meet and interact with many different organizations.” He asserted that he would relish the opportunity to help members of the Tech Hub community with their ERP systems. “We would be more than happy to jump in and help advise companies in the Tech Hub community to evaluate any systems,” he said.

Angelus Advisors is poised for growth, according to Velasquez: “I want to 2x or 3x our revenue, and I foresee making one or two more hires.” He also expects to branch out more from Workday, enabling them to better advise medium-sized businesses, as well as the large companies they already serve.

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08
Oct, 2021

By Nikki Cabus

South Florida Based Streann Media Revenue Jumps 85% in Q3 2021!

Read Time 3 Minutes

Streann Media, the most interactive and innovative OTT platform in the world, announced record revenue in Q3 2021, propelled by innovative OTT projects, signing up broadcasting giants Teletica Media Group and Bethel Media, one of the world’s biggest megachurches. The company experienced healthy growth, increasing ARPU significantly.

 

In 2021, brands have shifted advertising dollars from traditional media to OTT in 2021, and Streann is capitalizing on this trend. Particularly, revenue from digital advertising services is experiencing double-digit, month-over-month growth. The company has built a disruptive advertising solution for content creators and brands, partnering with industry leaders Didna and CatapultX to bring artificial intelligence and new digital ad formats to market. The new ad formats have given publishers an ROI of 350% with a video completion rate of 97%.

The technology company keeps pushing boundaries, planning the launch of two new streaming solutions in Q4 2021 to attract content creators from all verticals. Hundreds of millions of video creators -including millions of Streann’s active users- will be able to bring remote production to the next level with these new products:

💥 Inside-Switcher is the first video studio app with different multi-camera possibilities, lowering the cost of production and increasing the speed of broadcast-quality content experiences from a single App. The company launched a successful beta program in September, selling out thousands of slots for new users in only four days.

💥 Streann Studio is a web-based software that allows content creators to broadcast and personalize live videos to multiple streaming platforms simultaneously, including YouTube Live, Facebook Live, RTMP, HLS, and Twitch.

 

The global video streaming software market size is exploding, as it is expected to grow from USD 6.1 billion in 2020 to USD 15.0 billion by 2025, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 19.7%. The fastest-growing segment is multi-camera streaming, with anticipated triple-digit user adoption for 2022.

Streaming is the new normal, and Streann is growing exponentially thanks to a unique SaaS “plus” model.

“We had an awesome Q3, and Q4 2021 will be even stronger because we see substantial demand for programmatic advertising solutions and connected TVs. Our total addressable market just got bigger, as we are launching new streaming tools to give content creators more options to distribute, engage and monetize,” commented Gio Punzo, CEO at Streann Media.

 

 

About Streann Media

Streann Media is the world’s most innovative and interactive OTT streaming platform. With Streann, content providers can create the next generation Netflix or Spotify, with more than 150 proprietary features for market-first delivery, engagement and monetization technologies. Established in Miami, Florida, the company has won multiple industry awards for its easy-to-use, all-in-one solution and has been deployed in 141 countries with millions of active users. For more information, visit www.streann.com.

07
Sep, 2021

By Riley Kaminer

Member Spotlight | Improving

Read Time 3 Minutes

Mission: To develop innovative IT solutions and processes to help their clients realize tactical and strategic business objectives. 

Launched: 2007

HQ: Dallas

FTEs: 1,200

Website: Improving.com

If nothing else, the pandemic has underscored the crucial importance for businesses to be forward-thinking in their approach to IT. Consulting firm Improving understands these struggles, and works to help clients use technology to catalyze the growth of their business.

Primarily, Improving’s services are focused around consulting – everything from digital transformation projects to business analytics and intelligence. The company also provides application development services such as web, cloud, and mobile development. 

Additionally, Improving has an active training and coaching business. They are the largest provider of training for Scrum.org in North America. While many businesses engage Improving to help train their staff, individuals can join these virtual classes as well. (You can check out all the classes Improving offers on their website.)

The majority of Improving’s client base consists of mid-market to larger companies. They work with companies across a variety of sectors, including transport, financial services, and energy. Each client engagement looks different. Sometimes, Improving deploys an entire team to work on a project, and other times they send in experts to augment an existing team.

Kristin Johnson is VP of Marketing at Improving. She has been at the firm for almost ten years and has seen it expand from 150 people to more than 1,200 employees (or “Improvers,” as they are known internally) across the US, Mexico, and Canada. 

Johnson reported that the company had a small dip in business in the middle of 2020 due to the pandemic. Some Improvers even volunteered to reduce their salary temporarily, to help the company’s cash-flow (they have now all been paid back “and then some,” said Johnson). However, she asserted that the company has seen significant growth: “It’s truly a testament to the dedication that all of our Improvers have been putting forth.” 

“I’ve loved working with Improving,” she told Tech Hub South Florida. Johnson highlighted Improving’s company culture as one of the aspects she values most about the company: “A good company culture is not something to take for granted.”

Improving’s values are excellence, involvement, and dedication. This helps fulfill the company’s ambition, in Johnson’s words, “to change the perception of the IT professional.” She continued: “Truly building trust with one another, as well as our customers, is huge. And we’re deeply rooted in our commitment to establishing that trust.”

Part of this mission is rooted in the ideas of conscious capitalism, a non-profit movement followed by companies like Whole Foods and the Container Store. “Conscious Capitalism has four pillars,” Johnson explained, “purpose, stakeholder orientation, culture, and leadership.”

Johnson is involved in her local Conscious Capitalism branch, and sees it as a way to validate a lot of the values that she said Improving was already living.

Community is important to Improving. “We are passionate supporters of communities,” Johnson said. When able, Improving provides space, food, and drinks free of charge to organizations like user groups and meetups. “It’s our way of giving back.”

Learn more about Improving by visiting their website.

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30
Aug, 2021

By Riley Kaminer

Member Spotlight | Lexima

Read Time 3 Minutes

Mission: Modern-day digital software agency that helps companies differentiate themselves from their competitors through technology and eCommerce.

Launched: 2020

HQ: West Palm Beach

FTEs: 12

Website: Lexima.io

The best websites on the internet glide like a luxury sports car. The user experience is seamless. Pages load quickly. Links work. Yet under this peaceful, put-together exterior is the force of one of the world’s most powerful engines, tying technologies together to drive visibility and revenue.

Lancy Lexima is the mechanic that makes impactful web experiences possible. His agency, Lexima, helps businesses in South Florida and beyond harness the power of the most tech-forward digital solutions, all while creating a web browsing experience that keeps customers coming back for more.

“Lexima specializes in both standard website development as well as app development,” Lancey told Tech Hub South Florida. eCommerce forms a large part of their business. “We have quite a few Shopify clients,” Lancey said, noting that companies of all shapes and sizes are using that platform.

Why work with Lexima? The agency is made up of about a dozen industry veterans that know what they’re doing. “We are truly experts,” he said, noting that the company’s team members specialize in everything from quality assurance to general software development and Shopify development. In fact, Lexima has been vetted by Shopify to become one of their best-in-class Shopify Plus Partners.

“When you hire Lexima, you’re hiring experts. You’re hiring a team that acts as a partner, rather than someone who is just a service provider,” explained Lancey. That stands in stark contrast to some online freelancing platforms that promise the moon but offer half-baked, cookie-cutter solutions.

Lancey founded Lexima in January 2020 as an outgrowth of his freelancing business. He has worked as a software engineer for the last ten years at a variety of companies, including Boca Raton-based apparel company 4Ocean, who to this day remains a client of Lexima. Another notable client of Lexima is ByHeart Cluster, a social media platform for parents.

“Starting my own business was a pretty natural switchover,” Lancey said, because he had always taken on some projects on the side. The main difference for him has been administrative: “There was a learning curve for resource planning – managing my budget and deciding when to hire people. Client acquisition was also something I have learned over time.”

In the next few months, Lancey plans to launch Lexima’s first SaaS product. The exact offering is still top-secret, but Lancey signaled that it will be a Shopify app related to theme management.

Based in West Palm Beach, Lancey is bullish on the South Florida tech scene. “I see a lot of companies coming to South Florida,” he noted. 

Lancey is particularly excited about the growth of our local tech community on a person-to-person, business-to-business level: “Being able to pick someone else’s brain and talk about tech is great.”

He continued: “South Florida Tech is definitely growing and I definitely want to be a part of it. That’s why I’m involved with Tech Hub South Florida.”

Learn more about Lexima and the services they provide by visiting their website.

23
Aug, 2021

By Riley Kaminer

Member Spotlight | Stark Weber PLLC

Read Time 3 Minutes

Mission: Provide affordable, high-quality legal services to startups and technology companies in South Florida and beyond.

Launched: 2018

Office Locations: Boca Raton and Miami

Number of attorneys: 5

Website: StarkWeber.com

 

From developing a minimum viable product to finding customers and keeping afloat financially, founders have a lot on their plate when starting a new venture. Legal compliance might be one of the lowest priorities on founders’ to-do lists. However, Jared Stark of Boca Raton- and Miami-based law firm Stark Weber underscores the importance for startups to have their legal house in order from day one.

Stark told Tech Hub South Florida that one of the biggest mistakes early stage companies make is not securing trademarks. “It is very important to trademark the important elements of a brand as early as they can,” he said. If not, “you run the risk of encountering a serious problem later on that could require you to rebrand or otherwise create a lot of potential liability.”

He continued: “The entire application process can oftentimes take over a year, so it’s something you want to get in the works as early as possible.” Stark suggests that companies meet with a trademark attorney at the same time they are looking to form a company.

Contracts are also key, according to Stark: “It is important to make sure that you are documenting everything with good contracts and building a good base of contracts in the beginning.” These include everything from non-disclosure agreements to employer-employee contracts and master service agreements. “Having those in place ensures that you minimize your liability exposure in the future,” said Stark.

Funding is another critical milestone in a startup’s growth trajectory that is laden with potential legal pitfalls. Stark suggests working with a lawyer from the very beginning of any sort of financial transaction. “The reason for that is the securities laws are very complex, and it’s very easy to accidentally run afoul of either state or federal securities law when you begin talking to investors,” he explained. “It’s important to work with a securities lawyer who really understands that area and understands what you’re trying to do, so you can put everything in place and go out on the right foot.”

Through their offices in Boca Raton and Miami, Stark Weber helps clients avoid these very issues. Stark grew up in South Florida and attended Florida Atlantic University (FAU) for his undergraduate degree before studying law at Georgetown University. After a stint at one of the world’s biggest law firms, Stark returned to South Florida. He spent a few years as in-house counsel for a real estate developer before starting his own practice and eventually partnering with litigator Steven Douglas Weber. 

On top of his involvement with Tech Hub South Florida, Stark has also been involved with FAU’s alumni board. “I do whatever I can to try and make the South Florida Tech and entrepreneurial ecosystem a little bit stronger,” he said. “I think that it is such an exciting time to be an entrepreneur, or to work in the technology space, in South Florida.”

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26
Jul, 2021

By Riley Kaminer

Member Spotlight | YES Institute

Read Time 3 Minutes

Mission: Prevent suicide and ensure the healthy development of all youth through powerful communication and education on gender and orientation.

Launched: 1996

HQ: Miami

Website: YesInstitute.org

 

The Miami-based, non-profit YES Institute is on a mission to make the world a more inclusive place, free of youth suicide, violence, and discrimination.

When Executive Director Joseph Zolobczuk was growing up in western New York, he experienced anti-gay bullying, including before he himself was sure of his orientation. “I moved to Miami when I was 18 and sought out YES Institute for support to help me come out to my family,” Zolobczuk told Tech Hub South Florida.

Ever since he used YES Institute’s services, Zolobczuk has given back to the organization. He initially worked as a volunteer, then as an intern, before eventually taking helm of the organization in March 2019.

YES Institute provides a range of resources to the South Florida community, all having to do with diversity and inclusion on the topics of gender and orientation. The Institute puts a particular emphasis on young peoples’ lived experiences.

Umut Dursun, YES Institute’s Executive Director of Education, explained that they “courageously encourage everyone to share authentically about their experiences” with gender and orientation. In his estimation, the process of dialogue and sharing helps to eliminate “the shame and the stigma around these topics.” 

But combatting this stigma can be an uphill battle. Dursun shared his experience transitioning from female to male after his service in the Marines, and then working as a teacher in Miami-Dade County’s public schools. “I had to deal with my own identity: do I be out and visible, which is who I am and what I’m committed to, so I can be that role model for youth and others? But also by being visible, what does that mean for my career and my trajectory and my livelihood.”

YES Institute offers bilingual English-Spanish training sessions to a wide range of corporations, including an international insurance company, a major record label, and regional healthcare systems. Zolobczuk explained that these sessions “allow us to help employees make it a more inclusive environment when it comes to gender and orientation, but also other diversity topics like racial and ethnic background and women in the workplace.” The courses also enable YES Institute to reach the parents of young people who might be grappling with some of these difficult questions about their identity.

Zolobczuk said that offering these kinds of workshops are crucial for businesses in 2021. “If you don’t have a safe workplace, you don’t have a workplace,” he said. Dursun added, “Candidates are looking for companies that are committing to inclusion, not just ticking boxes.” He explained that in today’s competitive talent market, a lack of focus on diversity and inclusion can make you lose out on top talent, ultimately affecting your business’s bottom line.

2021 marks the 25th year of operations for the YES Institute. “It means something for any company to get to 25 years. I think it’s especially impressive for a nonprofit to get to 25 years,” said Zolobczuk. “It’s very special that I got to see the birth and inception of YES Institute and now see where we are today.”

YES Institute has been involved in various initiatives at Tech Hub South Florida, including its coffee talks. The non-profit has a presence in Palm Beach and Martin Counties, and is interested in working with organizations all around South Florida. Learn more by visiting their website, YESinstitute.org.

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21
Jun, 2021

By Riley Kaminer

Member Spotlight | Crown Castle

Read Time 3 Minutes

Business: Real estate investment trust and provider of shared communications infrastructure across the United States

Launched: 1994

HQ: Houston, Texas

Employees: 4,500+

Website: CrownCastle.com

Using the internet can feel magical. You grab a metal object out of your pocket, tap on the glass, and in a matter of milliseconds are presented with all the world at your fingertips.

None of that magic would be possible without people like Chris Carr. He’s the Fiber Sales Manager for South Florida at Crown Castle, the nation’s largest provider of communications infrastructure. Crown Castle’s assets include cell towers, small cell nodes, and fiber that connect people and businesses to the data they need.

Carr focuses on the fiber part of Crown Castle’s business, working together with his team of seven account executives to help solve his customers’ needs. Those needs can vary quite a bit considering the diverse range of clients Crown Castle works with – from K-12 and higher education institutions to large businesses and government agencies.

One of the things that makes Crown Castle stand apart, according to Carr, is “the fact that we own our own infrastructure.” That means that clients can see maps showing the exact route the fiber cables take to arrive at the client’s facility from the core network node. 

“Guaranteeing a physical route enables our customers to have an increased ability to design their assets and guarantee diversity,” said Carr. This diversity is important because it gives Crown Castle’s customers maximum flexibility. 

“Flexibility is crucial when needs are in flux like during Covid,” Carr explained. He also said that flexibility comes into play when dealing with restoration efforts after natural disasters like hurricanes. “Owning our assets lets us go out and restore service quicker than the competition.”

Security is increasingly important for Crown Castle’s clients, as our personal and professional lives become more digital than ever before. Carr said that the company plans to roll out additional security enhancements for clients, helping them thwart threats before they become an issue.

Carr moved to South Florida from upstate New York this past Spring and is bullish about the growth of our region’s economy. “It’s exciting to see familiar names that are moving down here,” he said. 

“It comes at no surprise to me that tech would be at the forefront of this growth,” said Carr. “This is a tremendous opportunity for South Florida as a whole. It’s going to turn into an incubator of best efforts across the country, in tech and all industries.”

Carr also enjoys mentoring ambitious young people in his industry. After graduating from college, Carr tried to make it as a professional golfer, but had to abandon his goals. But he said that while this “seemed like a failure 15 years ago,” it has actually “turned into a blessing.” He believes that this life path has led him to a career and company that he is passionate about, as well as enabled him to meet his wife and cultivate strong professional connections.

His advice to young people finding their path in life? “It’s important to stay committed to yourself and true to who you are. Take some initiative but also let things happen. Everything comes full circle.”

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31
May, 2021

By Riley Kaminer

Member Spotlight | DSS

Read Time 3 Minutes

Business: Health information software development and systems integration company

Launched: 1991

HQ: Juno Beach

Employees: 600+

Website: DSSInc.com

Healthcare is one of the biggest businesses in the United States, making up almost 18% of GDP. For technologists looking to make an impact, the healthtech space may be one of the most ripe for innovation.

Christopher Kunney has worked in information technology with a focus on healthcare for three decades. He is the Chief of Strategy & Business Development at Juno Beach-based DSS, a healthcare software development and systems integration company with over 30 years of health information experience. From DSS’ commercial division, Juno Health to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and other Federal agencies, DSS solutions are used daily by thousands of clinicians and administrative staff nationwide. 

“Data is truly the currency to help understand what determines someone’s wellbeing,” said Kunney. “It’s the info that helps hospitals and clinicians make smarter, more informed decisions.” Smart use of data is critical in the shift towards what Kunney describes as “accountable care” or “incentivizing hospitals and clinicians to prevent you from getting sick, and rewarding such behavior.”

Kunney explained how DSS is leveraging technology and data to solve the industry’s thorniest problems. Take electronic health records (EHR) for example. According to Kunney, “eight out of ten professionals dislike their EHR.” That’s because legacy systems are often very keyboard heavy, which makes entering data an unnecessarily laborious task.

DSS is, in Kunney’s words, “taking a bold step in the hospital EHR market” with its upcoming launch of Juno EHR. 

“We’re turning the concept of the EHR on its head,” said Kunney. “We’ve built it on the clinicians’ needs, giving power back to the providers with access to the patient data they need when they need it” he explained.

This cloud-based system will centralize information and seamlessly integrate with third-party services. Because it’s a SaaS product, Kunney says that the “capital outlay for acquisition of our product is lower” compared to that of legacy providers.

This is an enticing selling point for hospitals that work off a very tight margin, said Kunney. “When they purchase as a service, it means that they don’t have to compromise: scale up as you need and scale down as you don’t.”

Another one of DSS’s most recent innovations under the Juno Health division, Juno RxTracker, automates and simplifies the ePrescribing process. Kelly Kavooras, Chief Marketing Officer at DSS, says that this product is especially important for meeting eprescribing mandates for controlled substances like opioids. It enables healthcare providers to check a patient’s medical records across different systems to avoid bad interactions, while also enabling prescriptions to be efficiently and effectively submitted to pharmacies.

Kunney explained that “Covid brought out the gaps and weaknesses of legacy systems.” He believes that “tech still has a long way to go to support clinical efficiencies” and thinks that DSS can play a major role in addressing the biggest healthcare challenges of our time.

“We’re starting to anticipate the direction of the industry, develop tools that help field those gaps, and help drive the market down the path for disruptive care,” he said.

Hailing from Atlanta, Kunney is “very encouraged and very excited by the healthtech market in South Florida.”

He continued, “we’re staying very involved in the tech community to support the narrative that South Florida can become a healthcare tech hub.”

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