Farhaj Mayan was in the early stages of seeking investment for his cannabis-tech startup when several investors suggested he head to the east coast. “Come to Miami,” they advised. “There will be plenty of people there.”
Living in Oklahoma City, Mayan quickly bought a plane ticket and secured an Airbnb. He soon learned that Keith Rabois, a venture capitalist who had recently relocated to Miami, was hosting a four-week fellowship aimed at entrepreneurs and investors. Applying and gaining acceptance, Mayan arrived in the city just in time for a kickoff party intended to unite around 100 individuals “to explore ideas, build projects, and expand their networks.”
However, by the time Mayan landed, he found the airport bustling with far more than just 100 attendees. Venture capitalists swarmed the area, and an electronic billboard encouraged visitors to “imagine Miami as the next tech hub.” Meanwhile, over 200 individuals gathered at City Hall to hear Mayor Francis Suarez extol the city’s technological future. Following his speech, a line formed for selfies with him, as the city embraced a vibrant spirit dubbed “Miami Tech Week,” embodying a distinctive atmosphere rather than a structured event.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the unofficial start of the inaugural Miami Tech Week,” tweeted Delian Asparouhov, a principal at Founders Fund, noting that at least 100 founders and venture capitalists were arriving. Social media buzzed with people announcing their travel plans and accommodation arrangements, while round-trip flights from San Francisco skyrocketed to more than double their usual rates. “I knew that tweet would gain traction,” Asparouhov recalled. “It turned into an impromptu tech conference.”
“It has transformed into a massive informal gathering,” Mayan remarked. He initially invited a few fellow founders to stay at his Airbnb; now, he knows 35 people making the trip. “We’re all dubbing it SXSE.”
Though the excitement surrounding Miami Tech Week may be new, interest in the city has been growing for several months. High-profile venture capitalists like Rabois and Jack Abraham moved from San Francisco last year and shared their experiences on social media. Others have followed suit, opting for Miami’s warm climate and absence of state income tax. In December, Mayor Suarez took personal initiative to reshape the city as a premier tech hub, even going so far as to display a large billboard in San Francisco that echoed one of his tweets: “Thinking about relocating to Miami? DM me.”
“We’ve moved beyond the initial wave of arrivals, and now we’re seeing a second wave as their networks come in,” shared Ryan Rea, who develops chatbots for an ecommerce company called Sky Organics. Having moved to Miami from the Bay Area four years ago, he has become something of an unofficial ambassador for the city’s tech community, actively introducing newcomers to local spots and providing guidance on where to live and socialize. “Since December, I’ve held over 75 meetings with newcomers,” he stated. “I warned my realtor to prepare for an influx.” Miami’s real estate market has surged this year, with record high prices and sales volumes, reflecting broader trends in Florida since the start of the pandemic—not all of which can be traced back to startup founders.
Rea is also a founding member of Miami Tech Life, a WhatsApp group established by fellow tech veteran Demian Bellumio to support recent arrivals. Newcomers would reach out via Twitter, seeking to join the group for event information, social connections, or advice. The group quickly exceeded WhatsApp’s capacity limit and now operates on Telegram. “We organize everything from happy hours and dinners to bike rides, wine tastings, and networking events,” Rea explained. “There have even been several fundraising rounds initiated within the group.”