On March 7th, 500 Startups will host the 2019 Unity + Inclusion Summit in Miami. The event will gather entrepreneurs, investors, and the tech community to address the state of diversity in the tech startup ecosystem.
This event aims to help further the established startup organization’s mission to discover and support the world’s most talented entrepreneurs, helping them create successful companies at scale, and build thriving global ecosystems. As it stands, 500 Startups is considered one of the most active seed-stage venture capital firms in the world.
The summit will be the first time the venture capital firm has hosted the event in Miami and it will be the sixth annual event after successful summits in LA, Berlin, New York, Atlanta, and London.
The conference, a partnership with ZenDesk, Breezy HR, SAP.iO, Silicon Valley Bank, and Samsung NEXT, brings together many of the key players in Miami’s startup community, including a plethora of thought leaders who will be speaking on subjects ranging from the state of diversity to trends in tech and VC.
The line-up includes the likes of Laura Gonzalez, Founder and CEO of Venture City, and Brandon Andrews of Shark Tank.
500 Miami has been leading the charge to develop an innovation ecosystem in Miami focused on various industries with the goal of inspiring entrepreneurship, increasing employment, and promoting the economy of the region. 44.5% of 500’s portfolio founders belong to racial minority groups and 26% of investments are led by at least one female founder. In total, 49% of 500 Startups’ overall portfolio hail from outside the U.S.
500 Startups has been investing globally since 2010, but the world is a big place. After 2018, the number of countries invested has reached 74, which roughly covers 40% of the world.
Panels, keynotes, and workshops will address topics such as access to capital, growth marketing, and building diverse teams. The aim is to facilitate discussions that will further develop and promote entrepreneurship and inclusivity in the Miami tech scene.
The event will also include opportunities for attendees to have one-on-one office hours with 500 venture partners and Miami Angels for guidance on seed funding, ZenDesk, SAP.iO, and Samsung NEXT on growth, and Breezy HR on building diverse teams.
In keeping with 500’s mission to support underrepresented entrepreneurs around the globe, a number of Diversity Scholarships will be awarded for the upcoming Unity + Inclusion Summit in Miami. Readers can apply for a chance to receive a free ticket to the program.
500 staff will be in from Silicon Valley and are eager to join their Miami counterparts in connecting with budding entrepreneurs and founders of scalable startups in cities outside of the Bay Area.
Ana Gonzalez, Head of 500 Miami, has a lot to say about the burgeoning tech startup scene in SE Florida. “Miami is becoming a truly global hub for innovation and entrepreneurship. I encourage startups to leverage the diversity of our community, focus on the verticals where the region is strongest and set out to build businesses that can be relevant at a global scale.”
General Admission and Student tickets are now available and Last Call tickets will go on sale March 7. To purchase tickets or find out more you can visit the Summit’s Eventbrite page here.
