A Message from our Executive Director & COO
On Wednesday night, hundreds attended the eMERGE AMERICAS Kick-Off Event at the Moore Building in Miami’s Design District. eMERGE fans came from far and wide, just to get a sneak peek of what’s to come this year. The crowd grew even more excited as we announced the first round of our 2016 speaker lineup — General Colin Powell, Monica Lewinsky, Tony Hawk and Marc Randolph just to name a few.
The space was buzzing as people asked, what’s next for eMERGE? What kind of new adventures will this year’s journey hold? Now in our third year, eMERGE AMERICAS will continue delivering unique and comprehensive content, bringing together the world’s most disruptive thinkers across varied industries—all under one roof. We have a few surprises as well, designed to create a richer more meaningful experience. Be sure to check out our new website and register for the most anticipated technology and innovation event of the year.
Check out the photos of our 2016 Kick-Off Party on our new website.
Let the journey begin.
Xavier Gonzalez
Executive Director & COO
ANNOUNCING THE ROSTER OF WORLD-CLASS SPEAKERS FOR 2016:
• General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.), Former Secretary of State, United States
• Monica Lewinsky, Activist & Writer
• Tony Hawk, Legendary Skateboarder & Entrepreneur; Founder, The Tony Hawk Foundation
• Tim Storey, World-Renowned Motivational Speaker
• Marc Randolph, Co-founder, Netflix
• Scott Wise, Partner, Andreessen Horowitz
• Susan Lyne, President & Founder, BBG Ventures
• Naveen Jain, Co-Founder & Executive Chairman, Moon Express
• Gabriel Sanchez Zinny, Coordinating Founder & Partner, Blue Star Strategies
• Miriam Lopez, President & Chief Lending Officer, Marquis Bank
• Andrés Freire, Co-Founder, Officenet
• Doug Dietz, Innovation Architect, GE Healthcare
• Michael Samway, Adjunct Professor, Master of Science in Foreign Service, Georgetown University
• Denelle Dixon-Thayer, Chief Legal and Business Officer, Mozilla
• Nuala O’Connor, President & CEO, Center for Democracy & Technology
• Alessandro Prest, Co-Founder & CTO, LogoGrab
• Joan Cwaik, Latin America Marketing & Communication Manager, Maytronics
• Will Perego, Founder & CEO, 24-hour Solar Roof
• Ernesto Rodriguez Leal, Associate Professor in Robotics; CEO, Tecnologico de Monterrey; WeaRobot
• Patricia Smith, Strategic Information Technology Consultant
• Fran Allegra, President, the SEED School of Miami
REGISTRATION IS OPEN!
eMERGE 2016 will be here before you know it. Haven’t registered yet? Simply visit our new website, select your pass, and enjoy the early-bird savings.
Let the journey begin.
GET YOUR PASS
WIT IS BACK FOR 2016
Here’s an interesting tidbit: Of the 6,000 attendees at the inaugural eMERGE AMERICAS, 17% were women. That’s typical for a tech conference, but eMERGE AMERICAS has always paved its own path. Last year, we introduced WIT (Women, Innovation & Technology Summit) into the mix and our female attendance shot up to 33% of the 10,000 total participants. eMERGE 2016 promises to be even more powerful, featuring an outstanding lineup of speakers, relevant and inspiring content, and unique networking opportunities. Stay tuned for new WIT developments on our website.
Why wait for April to get your WIT on? Join us at the next WIT Rendezvous.
Melissa Medina,
VP of Partnerships & Development
AND THE TECH HUB KEEPS GROWING...
CAMBRIDGE INNOVATION CENTER OPENS IN MIAMI NEXT FALL.
Tim Rowe, Founder & CEO of CIC is “trying to build the infrastructure in the cities that have the potential to make an impact on the world.” After witnessing the hackathon at the inaugural eMERGE AMERICAS, Rowe and his team began seeing the possibilities. For CIC, “That was a defining moment. Miami got it,” Rowe said.
Cambridge Innovation Center is scheduled to open in the fall of 2016 at the University of Miami Life Sciences & Technology Park, and will be home to more than 500 startups.
11,749 MILES THROUGH LATIN AMERICA
eMERGE AMERICAS is back from its first-ever, two-week LATAM Roadshow. Our team, including five executives, traveled 11,749 miles through Latin America, hitting six of the region’s most dynamic cities. Hundreds of participants and eager startups attended our info sessions. Thanks to the incredible media coverage received—Live TV appearances, media interviews, press luncheons and more—we were able to reach thousands more.
With one leg of the eMERGE journey behind us, we’re able to look back and reflect on our travels. Is the word on eMERGE out in Mexico City? Did we pique curiosity in Medellín? Will we be seeing more Lima entrepreneurs on the EXPO floor this year? Judging by the enthusiasm, we say YES.
The journey continues.
HONORED WITH LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Big props to Manny Medina for being awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at FIU's College of Business Hall of Fame Awards. Manny, founder of eMERGE AMERICAS and community leader, was recognized for his extraordinary contributions to technology and entrepreneurship — namely masterminding a global tech hub right in our backyard.
On behalf of the entire eMERGE team, congratulations!
MENTORS & MENTEES @ FACEBOOK
Over 150 people attended the last WIT Rendezvous at Facebook to get the insider’s perspective on the entrepreneurial path. What does it take to create a successful startup? Relentless passion? Mad perseverance? Perfect timing? Five amazing guest speakers were invited to join the panel, addressing the key decisions every entrepreneur must make along the way.
Special thanks to Laura Gonzalez-Estefani of Facebook who served as moderator for the event.
