• "Building South Florida’s future is a collective effort. MIT REAP provides a regional table where government, entrepreneurs, universities, corporate partners, and investors work side-by-side to design and deliver solutions. Miami-Dade County is excited to support this effort as a government stakeholder, helping ensure collaboration translates into stronger talent pipelines, housing solutions, and new industries that reach every neighborhood."

    Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Government Stakeholder of MIT REAP South Florida

  • "MIT REAP South Florida is about building the real infrastructure behind the buzz. We’re aligning the right people, energy, and intent to make Miami a lasting engine for innovation, entrepreneurship, and pa’lante progress. This is ecosystem building, Miami style, with substance, not just sizzle."

    Gianni D’alerta, Co-Founder of Purple Horizons

  • "South Florida is at an inflection point as it capitalizes on the wealth of capital and talent it has captured over the past few years. The MIT REAP program can prove to be the right spark the city needs to foster the entrepreneurial energy the city has always had into a more developed entrepreneurial ecosystem, cementing it into the Silicon Valley of the South. I am proud to be serving the region through the MIT REAP program by helping it be all it can be."

    Nicolas Toro, Head of LatAm Market at SVB-Silicon Valley Bank

Advisory Board

  • David Acosta

    Head of Special Projects and Chief of Staff for Lion Development Group

  • Jennifer Baez

    Director of Innovation, Miami Dade County, Innovation and Economic Development

  • James V. Barcia

    Principal of Claret Strategy

  • Dr. Michael Cheng

    Dean of the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at Florida International University

  • George Corton

    Managing Principal, West Side Capital Group

  • Carla Curiel

    Director of Babson College, Miami

  • Gianni D'alerta

    Co-Founder of Purple Horizons

  • Claudia Duran

    Executive Director of Endeavor Miami

  • Emily Gresham Furton

    Campaign Executive, Centennial and Strategic Initiatives at Gulliver Prep

  • Dr. Elizabeth Hincapie

    Partner Sales & GTM Lead at Amazon Web Services

  • Shivani Joshi

    Chief Advancement Officer at Gulliver Prep

  • Natalia Martinez-Kalinina

    Co-Founder at Base

  • Kevin Ruiz

    Board Member at Achieve Miami and Miami Symphony Orchestra

  • Melissa Medina

    Co-Founder and CEO of eMerge Americas and Partner of Medina Ventures

  • Johanna Mikkola

    Co-CEO at Groupe EDH North America

  • Zak Ringelstein

    CEO of Zigazoo

  • Maria Derchi Russo

    Executive Director of Refresh Miami and VP of Platform and Community at Florida Funders

  • Nicolas Toro

    Head of LatAm at SVB-Silicon Valley Bank