Once again, the status of Miami as an international tech hub is elevated with TheVentureCity playing host to the final week of Google’s startup acceleration program, Launchpad. The event marks the end of a 10-week immersion that began in Mexico, continued in Argentina, and concludes in South Florida; connecting startups with dedicated support to take their businesses to the next level.
This week, the 9 startups in the Launchpad program will meet with startups in TheVentureCity’s own Growth program. This is an opportunity for them to share experiences, engage with each other and grow. TheVentureCity has invited top venture capitalists (VCs) from around the U.S., Europe and Latin America as an added benefit for startups on both programs. “Being able to host this program for startups from across Latin America in Miami feels to me like a dream come true. It is an unparalleled occasion to showcase the amazing work that developers and entrepreneurs are leading in the region”, said Paco Solsona, manager of Google Developers.
For Laura González-Estéfani, CEO and founder of TheVentureCity, “this initiative consolidates Miami as an epicenter of innovation and entrepreneurship by bringing together companies that think beyond borders. We believe that talent is evenly distributed around the world, but opportunities are unequal.”
Startups on the Launchpad Accelerator come from a wide span of Latin American countries, including Argentina, México, Colombia, Chile and El Salvador. The companies graduating this week are: 123Seguro, Al Turing, Apli, DevF, Hugo, Jetty, Jüsto, Odd Industries and TransparentBusiness. The participating companies from TheVentureCity are: Qempo, Cajero, ComigoSaude, Digital Innovation One, TheFastMind, eMasters, Alba, 1Doc3, Stayfilm and Erudit. While being an international group, these startups represent the talent, diversity and richness of the continent.
A main benefit from hosting this program in Miami is to diversify thinking in the American tech ecosystem and to keep relevant stakeholders informed about the challenges being faced by startups across the region. This is the second time that Google and TheVentureCity partner up to support startups; last March, we successfully hosted the first-ever Google Developers Launchpad Start, a one-week version of the accelerator program, in Miami.