Miami
Miami is an emerging ecosystem, and Fellows' contributions have exciting and tangible results!
A Hot Spot for Entrepreneurship
Fellows describe this coastal city as beautiful, colorful, international, and vibrant. The startup scene is just as hot as the temperature, and there is an ever-increasing number of new ventures and opportunities for entrepreneurs.
Miami’s growing startup scene hosts more than 30 collaborative spaces, dozens of ongoing community events and a seemingly endless supply of mentor and advising partners.
VFA Miami By The Numbers
49 Fellows
Since VFA's arrival in 2014
38 Company Partners
Have hired Fellows
4 Fellow-Founded Companies
Based in Miami
How One Fellow views Miami's Startup Ecosystem
Kateline Hullar '17
“Miami may seem like an outlier in the VFA cohort, but the moment I arrived, I understood the value of contributing to this city’s startup ecosystem. It’s a city that has struggled to find an identity and industry outside of tourism and hospitality and real estate, and it’s so worthwhile to invest in. I never realized all of the layers a city like Miami could have.”
A Fellow's Favorite Element of Miami
Briana Brown, '17 Fellow
“There is a solid set of people here looking to make Miami a better place to live!”
Where Fellows Work
The startup ecosystem is gaining steam, but there is still so much opportunity for Fellows to contribute and add value.
Marketing Operating Systems for Car Dealerships
Platform for high-growth medical groups
Educational technology that empowers teachers
Creates media and technology products for cities
Meet Leigh Sevin, '14 and Jinesh Shah, ’15
Co-Founders at Arthur
Several months into his 2015 Fellowship in Miami, Jinesh and the Miami cohort had the opportunity to get together with VFA supporter and former NBA star, Shane Battier. Shane initiated introductions by having everyone around the table talk about their startup jobs, skills, and passions. Leigh Sevin, a 2014 Miami Fellow, heard Jinesh talking about his design and coding chops and she immediately perked up. Jinesh was in the class below her and Leigh hadn’t had much of a chance to get to know him, so she asked him out for coffee to pitch him on an idea she was working on. Leigh had the sales and business acumen, but needed a coder and designer to supplement her skills. Jinesh liked what Leigh had to say and agreed to work with her. Today, Leigh and Jinesh are working on Arthur, a software platform for retail stores and staff
Learn more about Arthur