The startup picture in Miami

Outside funding exists at real scale but is not the default: 1449 of 17421 tracked companies have ever raised it. Miami has more funded startups than Tampa's 531, though the registry also records a meaningful shutdown trail.

Startups in Miami - Funding, Founders & Investors

Everything startup in one place: who's building, how the landscape clusters, the people and investors behind it, and whether the capital is real.

Royal Caribbean Group

Operator of cruises

est. 1968 · 98,200 staff · raised outside money

Richard D Fain — Chairman & CEO

Royal Caribbean

Cruise line operator

est. 1969 · 98,200 staff · raised outside money

Michael Bayley — CEO

Carnival Corporation

Digital Guest Experience Enhancement

est. 1972 · 92,000 staff · raised outside money

Lynn Narraway — Managing Director

Ryder

Ryder's Integrated Fleet & Logistics Tech Platform

est. 1933 · 36,100 staff · raised outside money

Robert Sanchez — CEO · Bachelor Of Science Degree In Electrical Engineering With A Specialization In Computer Science University of Miami

Maximus

Provides a native advertising platform

est. 2017 · 26,997 staff · raised outside money

Joshua Keller — Founder & CEO

Watsco

Supplier of equipments & related parts to HVAC/R industry

est. 1956 · 12,657 staff · raised outside money

Albert Nahmad — CEO

Lennar

Lennar: Traditional Homebuilder with Tech-Enabled Services

est. 1954 · 12,284 staff · raised outside money

Stuart Miller — CEO

REEF

Platform offering parking management and suite solutions for multiple retail and food businesses

est. 2013 · 7,150 staff · raised outside money

Ari Ojalvo — Co-Founder & CEO · MS Northwestern University

Aziz Ihsanoglu — Co-Founder · Bsc Northwestern University

TelevisaUnivision

Provider of media and production services

est. 1962 · 5,759 staff · raised outside money

Wade Davis — CEO

Norwegian Cruise Line

Expanding Global Cruise Capacity with Freestyle and Luxury Brands

est. 1966 · 5,100 staff · raised outside money

Frank Del Rio — CEO

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings

Provider of water transport services

est. 2011 · 5,100 staff · raised outside money

Frank Rio — CEO

Ilumno

Ilumno: Cloud-based Higher Education Services

est. 2013 · 5,001 staff · raised outside money

Pete Pizarro — CEO & President

Despegar

App-based platform to book multiple travel services

est. 1999 · 4,543 staff · raised outside money

Martin Rastellino — Co-Founder And Member Of The Board Of Directors

Opko Health

Provider of molecular diagnostic products

est. 1991 · 3,930 staff · raised outside money

Phillip Frost — Founder & CEO

I Squared

Financial services company offering products and services to individuals and businesses

est. 2012 · 3,900 staff · raised outside money

Sadek Wahba — Co-Founder

Markus Heinrich Mez — Founder

ChenMed

Senior Care Centers with Integrated Tech

est. 1985 · 3,596 staff · raised outside money

Christopher Chen — CEO · MD University of Miami

Citadel Securities

Citadel Securities: Innovative Financial Services with Cutting-Edge Tech

est. 2002 · 3,363 staff · raised outside money

Peng Zhao — CEO

Medusind

Medical Billing Company.

est. 2002 · 3,279 staff · raised outside money

Jose Rivero — Chief Executive Officer

Costa Farms

Costa Farms: Organic Plant Farming for Home Beautification

est. 1961 · 3,222 staff · raised outside money

Jose Smith — CEO

Anna’s Linens

Provider of online home linen products

est. 1987 · 2,785 staff · raised outside money

Alan Gladstone — Founder

Cano Health

Personalized primary care that treats you as a whole

est. 2002 · 2,466 staff · raised outside money

Lourdes Cano — Founder

Marlow Hernandez Cano — CEO · MBA Nova Southeastern University

University of Miami Health System

Expanding University of Miami Health System Services

est. 2016 · 2,400 staff · raised outside money

Edward Abraham — CEO

Perry

Perry Ellis International: Leading Apparel Manufacturer and Distributor

est. 1961 · 2,006 staff · raised outside money

Oscar Feldenkreis — President & Vice-Chairman

George Feldenkreis — Founder

ClearSale

Provider of ecommerce fraud prevention and chargeback protection solutions

est. 2001 · 2,000 staff · raised outside money

Bernardo Lustosa — Partner, Co-Founder & COO · FGV

cluster · 2767 companies

Business Services

376 founded since 2018 · 78 funded

Sub-themes

marketing services · 794it services · 420legal services · 266event management services · 183hr services · 165management consulting services · 127

e.g. Carnival Corporation, Foundever, Aleph

cluster · 1804 companies

Consumer

464 founded since 2018 · 158 funded

Sub-themes

b2c e-commerce · 429fashion tech · 216logistics tech · 175professional consumer services · 130online travel · 125sports tech · 107

e.g. REEF, Despegar, sunshine bouquet company

cluster · 1455 companies

Enterprise Applications

537 founded since 2018 · 166 funded

Sub-themes

marketingtech · 352enterprise software · 314saas · 302hrtech · 217sales force automation · 114adtech · 77

e.g. Maximus, Neff Rental, Ilumno

cluster · 1317 companies

Retail

363 founded since 2018 · 109 funded

Sub-themes

b2c e-commerce · 235fashion tech · 220internet first brands · 144beauty tech · 137horizontal e-commerce · 103e-commerce enablers · 86

e.g. Neff Rental, REEF, ClearSale

cluster · 1247 companies

Real Estate And Construction

147 founded since 2018 · 38 funded

Sub-themes

real estate brokers · 304real estate & infrastructure developers · 221building materials · 131architects · 99interior designers · 93construction contractors · 87

e.g. Lennar, OWN, OHLA Building

cluster · 1089 companies

Healthcare

111 founded since 2018 · 90 funded

Sub-themes

clinic chains · 217rehabilitation and long-term care · 138services for healthcare providers · 108medical device distributors · 69biopharma outsourcing · 63clinics · 52

e.g. mercy hospital, pinecrest physical therapy, Mercy Hospital

cluster · 1049 companies

Fintech

547 founded since 2018 · 266 funded

Sub-themes

investment tech · 317alternative lending · 158cryptocurrencies · 144payments · 139non fungible tokens · 93banking tech · 76

e.g. ClearSale, Go Insure, Univista Insurance

cluster · 1027 companies

Financial Services

112 founded since 2018 · 46 funded

Sub-themes

asset management · 170finance & accounting services · 155consumer and sme loans · 130insurance carriers · 119services for investment industry · 117service providers to banks · 97

e.g. Citadel Securities, BankUnited, Univista Insurance

cluster · 833 companies

Consumer Goods

129 founded since 2018 · 74 funded

Sub-themes

food & beverage products · 128home furnishing products · 123beauty & personal care products · 118apparel brands · 93internet first brands · 70fashion accessories · 48

e.g. Costa Farms, Anna’s Linens, Perry

cluster · 755 companies

Media & Entertainment

193 founded since 2018 · 76 funded

Sub-themes

internet first media · 193film & tv studios · 163social platforms · 59ott video · 58online event ticketing · 57internet first news publishers · 50

e.g. TelevisaUnivision, motorsport network, Reliant-inv.com

Founder & Background	Role	Company
Robert Sanchez Christopher Columbus High School 1983.	CEO	Ryder
Joshua Keller Ex- Global Agora, Spark Networks, SUP ATX. Ithaca College	Founder & CEO	Maximus
Ari Ojalvo Ex-A.T. Kearney, Verticalnet. Northwestern University BS, MS 2004	Co-Founder & CEO	REEF
Aziz Ihsanoglu Northwestern University BS 2002	Co-Founder	REEF
Frank Rio ex- CEO Prestige Cruise Holdings. University of Florida	CEO	Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings
Pete Pizarro Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at eLandia Group	CEO & President	Ilumno
Martin Rastellino Despegar Com, ex-Teleglobe, ex-Arthur Andersen, Duke University - The Fuqua School of Business, 1999	Co-Founder And Member Of The Board Of Directors	Despegar
Phillip Frost Opko Health	Founder & CEO	Opko Health
Sadek Wahba Co-Founder-I Squared Capital \| The American University in Cairo BA,Harvard University PhD	Co-Founder	I Squared
Markus Heinrich Mez M Squared Capital, ex-Glg Partners, ex-Goldman Sachs, University Karlsruhe (TH), 1994	Founder	I Squared
Gautam Bhandari Co-Founder & Managing Partner-I Squared Capital \| Ex-Morgan Stanley \| University of Delaware PhD 1996,NYU Stern School of Business	Co-Founder & Managing Partner	I Squared
Jesse Krynak ex- Credit Suisse, Boeing Company. Pepperdine University BS, University of Southern California MA	Fund Partner	I Squared
Mohamed Gazzar Ex-Morgan Stanley. Warwick University LLB	Senior Partner	I Squared
Harsh Agrawal Ex-Morgan Stanley. Lafayette College BS 2001	Partner	I Squared
Kunal Agarwal Managing Director-I Squared Capital \| IIM Calcutta MBA 2012	Managing Director	I Squared
Ahmed Zaki Managing Director-I Squared Capital \| Ex-Morgan Stanley \| The American University in Cairo BA 2000,The Wharton School MBA 2006	Managing Director	I Squared
Alexander Metelkin Managing Director-I Squared Capital \| Ex-Morgan Stanley \| Bauman Moscow State Technical University MSc 2007,LSE MSc 2008	Managing Director	I Squared
Christopher Chen University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine MD	CEO	ChenMed
Peng Zhao The Asian American Foundation, ex-Citadel Securities, ex-Lehman Brothers, University of California, Berkeley, 2006	CEO	Citadel Securities
Jose Rivero Medusind, ex-Healthcomp, ex-Alpine Investors, Harvard Business School, 1991	Chief Executive Officer	Medusind

backgrounds shown where available

244 investors are on record backing Miami companies. The most committed:

Most active — backed 2+ companies

Insight Partners

Sequoia Capital

Sound Ventures

European Union

Target Global

TPG

Stockwell Capital

L Catterton

Accel

Axia Ventures

Kaszek

Canaan

Institutional

Sequoia Capital · VC fundSound Ventures · VC fundTarget Global · VC fundAccel · VC fundAxia Ventures · VC fundKaszek · VC fundCanaan · VC fundComcast Ventures · VC fundLDR Ventures · VC fundBloom8 · VC fundVis Capital · VC fundOud Capital Management · VC fundMATH Venture Partners · VC fundRancilio Cube SICAF · VC fund+ 92 more

Private & corporate backers

Insight PartnersEuropean UnionTPGStockwell CapitalL CattertonSEBAwilhelmsenThe Pritzker OrganizationPublic Investment FundPrivate Advisor Group+ 128 more

hover a name to see who they backed

Funded startups — peer cities

Atlanta

1,889

Miami

1,449

531Tampa

457Orlando

254New Orleans

Companies that have raised

Company	Industry	Rounds	Latest Round	Founded
Burger King	restaurants	8	2021-06	1954
CompUSA	retail	1	1999-09	1984
DiscountMugs	printing	1	2009-12	1993
Mediaspectrum	computer software	1	2013-07	2001
Florida One Insurance	automotive	1	2023-11	2014
Beefeaters	consumer goods	1	2010-05	1986
Anna’s Linens	retail	1	2002-06	1987
Atlas Paper Mills	paper & forest products	2	2015-07	1981
Neural	information technology and services	2	2024-03	2022
Branders	marketing and advertising	7	2010-01	1999
The Art of Shaving	retail	1	2007-08	1996
Med-tek	medical devices	4	2015-03	2002
Caliza	financial software	2	2024-04	2021
Beeyond	marketing and advertising	2	2023-07	2019
Miramar Lab	pharmaceuticals	2	2017-01	2003
Root Protocols	tech services	1	2024-01	2017
QualMetrix	information technology and services	5	2015-06	2012
NextPlat	wireless communications equipment	1	2023-04	2014
DROPIT	sports	1	2017-08	2015
Zulu Labs Holdings	financial services	1	2022-09
SportsManias	sports	2	2014-07	2012
Pacific Medical	medical devices	1	2016-08	2012
Cooltech	consumer electronics	2	2018-10	2016
AICS Companies	retail	1	2009-04	1999
Security Token	financial software	2	2022-05	2018

round amounts sparse for tier-3 cities — counts shown, dollar totals withheld

Company	Industry	Founded	Employees
Dade Development	construction	2026	—
Subquadratic	computer software	2026	—
BlockRun	computer software	2026	—
Intelliparse	computer software	2026	—
All College Essays	education management	2026	—
Belt Land	sporting goods	2026	—
Datafocus	information technology and services	2026	5
Dating Perfect	internet	2026	—
Ficherio	sports	2026	—
FlowLux Art	fine art	2026	—
Franchise Hive	computer software	2026	—
Fresco Shop	arts and crafts	2026	—
Janhost	internet	2026	—
Glexpress Services	transportation/trucking/railroad	2026	—
Hard Music	music	2026	—
Tech Duels	education management	2026	—
M10 Digital	marketing and advertising	2026	—
Quality Unit	marketing and advertising	2026	—
OpenTrade	chemicals	2026	—
PantoSource	marketing and advertising	2026	—

The startup picture in Miami

Royal Caribbean Group

Royal Caribbean

Carnival Corporation

Ryder

Maximus

Watsco

Lennar

REEF

TelevisaUnivision

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings

Ilumno

Despegar

Opko Health

I Squared

ChenMed

Citadel Securities

Medusind

Costa Farms

Anna’s Linens

Cano Health

University of Miami Health System

Perry

ClearSale

Business Services

Consumer

Enterprise Applications

Retail

Real Estate And Construction

Healthcare

Fintech

Financial Services

Consumer Goods

Media & Entertainment

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