Technology will rule Miami, May 1-5, when the second annual eMerge Americas conference transforms the city into a international tech hub, with more than 6,000 attendees expected at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
The event is a concentrated festival of information, events and interactivity. Those looking for tech jobs can find them at the Hiring Fair event. Those with bustling tech startups can show them off. Business leaders and other tech professionals can trade notes and socialize.
A goal of eMerge is to fashion Miami into a tech hot spot similar to Silicon Valley. Founder Manny Medina has high aspirations for the event, telling the Miami Herald last year that he hopes it will turn into “a South by Southwest-style annual event with Latin flair.”
eMerge Americas casts a spotlight on Latin American businessmen and women as well as those from the United States. Miami is a melting pot of cultures, and eMerge Americas Techweek brings the best minds in tech fields of those cultures to the forefront.
A few of those top industry professionals can be heard in a promotional“behind the scenes” video praising the conference for its diversity and potential to bridge cultures.
“It makes sense to have Miami as a technological capital to unify efforts,” Carlos Arguello, creative director of Studio C, says. “There’s a lot of talent in Latin America, but we need U.S. business savvy as well.”
Summit founder Jeff Rosenthal praises eMerge for its networking potential and diverse attendees.
“It’s hugely important to have a diverse group of people, economically, internationally,” he says. “eMerge Americas and events like this allow me to connect with Latin American entrepreneurs that I wouldn’t have otherwise.”
Others laud eMerge for its forward-thinking initiative to bring business-minded thinkers together and to act as a gateway between the United States and Latin America. The goal is a connection that fosters more unity―all beginning with technology.
The Hispanic IT Executive Council, the global leadership organization of Hispanic IT professionals across the Americas, will lead a “private track” at eMerge Americas―a specialized meeting to discuss strategy and promote communication in the field. There are two other private tracks offered, eGov and CIO/CISO Council.
The EP2―Emerging Project Program―looks for individuals and organizations making new, compelling ideas. The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) “works closely with educators to inspire young people from low-income communities through entrepreneurship training and specialized programs,” according to the eMerge website. A competition features business ideas pitched to investors.
One day is set aside for women in tech. The Women, Innovation and Technology Summit is complete with “experiential programming, networking opportunities, a Technology & Innovation Fashion Show, and much more,” the website says.
Everyone gets his or her time to shine at eMerge. It’s a meeting of minds, and offers opportunities to discuss and participate in the shiniest, newest technological achievements. eMerge postures itself as being cutting-edge with such events as Hackathon (focused on new Facebook applications this year) and eCity―a simulation with up-to-date “Smart City” technology for environment, mobility, renewable energy and more.
“We are creating a world that is extraordinary,” says Peter Diamonds of the X Prize Foundation in a promo video. “We are living in a time where almost anything is possible. We’re going to be able to meet the needs of every man, women and child on this planet.”
The website for eMerge is http://emergeamericas.org/, where you can sign up for the conference.
Founding Partners of the event are: Knight Foundation, Miami-Dade County, Medina Capital and GreenbergTraurig.