A unique opportunity will be bringing the heat to Miami this winter 2022. Cloud technology leader Ingram Micro Cloud will connect innovative startup founders from Miami with leading members of the media in a virtual pitch competition.
The event, Ingram Micro Cloud Connect: Miami Innovators, will take place online on Thursday, Jan 13, 2022, from 1 PM to 2:30 PM ET and is completely free to attend.
Six technology startup founders will pitch their companies to a panel of distinguished media judges in an effort to educate startups about the media while also familiarizing leading media with some of the most promising companies coming out of South Florida.
The competition plays an integral role in the company’s mission to accelerate innovation and empower today’s problem solvers in conquering tomorrow’s biggest business challenges. It also reflects the cloud leader’s interest in the Miami community, having recently announced a hiring push to expand their cloud operations there.
In a recent interview with The South Florida Business Journal, John Dusett, executive director of cloud services at Ingram Micro Cloud, said “Miami’s rich talent pool and world-class universities are great resources for finding individuals eager to start a career in high-tech.” He added that Miami’s dynamic, diverse population fits well with Ingram Micro Cloud’s vast multicultural employee and client network.”
At Ingram Micro Cloud Connect: Miami Innovators, all members of the startup community are invited to watch and attendance is FREE. There will also be a live Q&A session with the media judges afterward where founders and members of the audience can ask their own questions.
For those interested in attending the event and participating in the Q&A session with the media, organizers ask that you please register here on Eventbrite for free.
Here’s a closer look at what you can expect from the event.
A Pitch Competition for a Bustling Startup Scene
With big hitters in investment, and exponentially more startups moving into the area— Miami’s tech scene is not only accelerating at unforeseen speeds but diversifying as well. In fact, according to preliminary Crunchbase data, Miami startups raised close to $1 billion in venture funding just last year alone.
This pitch competition will take a closer look at movers and shakers that operate in the Miami area, bringing in leading members of the media to provide them with feedback and insights to help them skyrocket to the next level.
Among the line-up of distinguished media panel judges are:
- Rick Hirsch, Managing Editor, Miami Herald
- Nancy Dahlberg, Writer/Editor, Refresh Miami
- Marcella McCarthy, Assistant Editor, Bloomberg Linea
- Saira Anwer, Reporter, ABC Local 10 Miami
- Paula Rosenblum, Contributor, Forbes
- Janie Flores, Host, 880 The Biz
Startup founders will benefit from the decades of collective experience these media professionals bring to the table, offering their insights into best practices for pitching the business and technology media, as well as specific feedback related to the startups and their company pitches.
More broadly, the event looks to connect the tech and media ecosystems in Miami, one of the fastest-growing in the country, which in Q2 of 2021 actually topped the US for growth in the tech sector.
More About The Hosts
Ingram Micro Cloud’s Andrea Short, who heads Executive Marketing Leadership for North America for Ingram Micro Cloud, will be co-hosting the event.
A division of Ingram Micro, the world’s largest technology distributor that counts over 35,000 employees worldwide and operates in over 59 countries, Ingram Micro Cloud provides the largest marketplace of cloud technology products and services, helping to accelerate the digital transformation of business.
Also attending as a special guest, Ingram Micro Cloud Executive Director of Cloud Services John Dusett will address the attendees to talk about what’s made the Miami startup scene so attractive to tech firms like Ingram Micro.
He’ll also plan to speak about the company’s plans to double its presence in South Florida, expanding its hiring in the area, partnering with community organizations, as well as establishing a Cloud Academy to train its channel partners and employees. The academy will look to partner with local universities, community groups, and veteran organizations, according to The South Florida Business Journal.
The pitch competition furthers Ingram Micro Cloud’s efforts to support and build upon the growing tech scene in Miami.
It’s time to come and find out why local founders, entrepreneurs and distinguished innovators in the tech scene have boasted about Miami for years.
The Ingram Micro Cloud Connect: Miami Innovators pitch event will be a great way to not only get a taste of what Miami’s tech scene has to offer but also witness some of its most promising rising stars on their way to the top.
Disclosure: This article mentions a client of an Espacio portfolio company.
