One of the best things about Miami is its diversity and cosmopolitanism. And unlike many other cities, Miami’s tech scene actually reflects this. Today’s roundup features stories about women, entrepreneurs of color, and a company founded by two Finns. And the best part is, this won’t be the last time our roundup looks like this. How many other places can say that?
Knight endows Black Tech Week
The Knight Foundation has announced $1.2 million in new support for Black Tech Week, which aims to support entrepreneurs of color. The new funding will support office hours, meetups, and a new monthlong residency program that connects black innovators to venture capitalists. Tickets are still available for Black Tech Week in Miami, Feb. 23 – 25, featuring keynote speaker Michael Seibel, CEO of Y-Combinator. More info here.
Court Buddy gets funding valued at $2.5 million
Court Buddy, a Miami startup founded by James and Kristina Jones, received $150,000 in funding from 500 Startups, a venture capital seed fund. Court Buddy will be using the investment to make additional hires and ramp up sales and marketing efforts. Court Buddy will also be receiving mentorship and support from 500 Startups.
Wyncode unveils Wynbase.
Wyncode unveiled its new offices, which they’re calling Wynbase, to train a new generation of coders. At their reception, they also announced they had raised $1 million from a Swedish education and consulting group, Academic Work X AB. The Swedish connection is based in part on Wyncode’s founders, Juha and Johanna Mikkola, who met in high school in Finland.
WIN Lab names new director
Massachusetts’ Babson College, known for its focus on entrepreneurship, has named a new director to its Miami WIN Lab. Carolina Pina was most recently director of Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management Miami Campus. Created by the Center for Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (CWEL) at Babson College, the WIN Lab is a residency program for women entrepreneurs looking to launch successful companies.
SUP-X chooses startups
23 South Florida startups were chosen to participate in The Startup Expo (SUP-X) in Fort Lauderdale in early March. The companies will each receive a free booth, and will be considered for the Expo’s finals, where they’ll compete for $50,000 in cash prizes. The conference is designed to connect and educate investors, entrepreneurs and service providers from throughout North America while growing Florida’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. SUP-X also features a “Diversity in Entrepreneurship Forum” that seeks to address the needs of those typically under-served and under-represented in the startup and venture capital communities.
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