The Starting Gate

NFTE teens' presentations wow the judges -- and the winners are...

The winner of last night's Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) South Florida Youth Bizplan Challenge already has three years' experience running her business -- and she is only 15.

Giselle Gallardo, a freshman at John A. Ferguson Senior High (pictured here with NFTE's director and judges), who won 1st Place for her company called Crazy 4 Bows Bowtique, recognized that jumping into the hot fashion teen trend of bows was not enough. She needed a product differentiator, and so bottle caps are incorporated into her school-spirited designs. She gave a strong presentation to the judges, but she had a lot of competition.

The 23 winning teams at each of the school competitions first competed in a semifinalist competition in the afternoon. Soon after, five finalists were selected to pitch in the finals. Each team gave an 8.5 minute pitch and fielded tough questions in front of a panel of judges and an auditorium full of people at the University of Miami.

Coming in second place in NFTE's annual regional competition was Jennifer Carter (pictured here presenting her company) of American Senior High. Her company, Precious Pearls, offers custom bras. "Precious Pearls isn't just a bra line, it sells confidence too," she says.

Both winners will be going to New York City to compete in the global NFTE competition in October.

The other finalists were: Eligansi, by Alissa Ovalle-Marquez of Hallandale Senior High, taking third place; iStylez Fashion, by Samandie Douceur of Miami Edison Senior High; and Histrionic Film Enterprises, by Richard Guzman and Yarien Suarez of Hialeah Gardens Senior High.

All five finalists won seed money for their businesses ($250 up to $1,500 for the first place winner). Hector Tundidor Jr., managing partner of Ernst & Young's Miami office and one of the judges, said all the presentations were very strong and the judges had their work cut out for them.  

The keynote address was given by Nicklas Sarnicola of The Sarnicola Foundation, which also was the presenting sponsor for the contest. After telling his entrepreneurial story, he advised NFTE students to "build a business around your passion, not just to make money." He also said entrepreneurship isn't for everyone and it is not easy -- entrepreneurs need to get used to failure. But when you are truly passionate about your business, it doesn't feel like work at all, he said.

NFTE South Florida offers entrepreneurship programs in low-income schools in Miami-Dade and Broward. The nonprofit launched in South Florida seven years ago serving 350 students -- now it serves more than 3,000 students, said Executive Director Alice Horn. "We are nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs."

 

Twitter and sales: How to cash in on your own Twitter platform

By Susan Linning

Yeah, we’re tweeting.  Day and night, night and day.  Great for marketing. Great for reaching out to current and potential customers/clients.  Great for brand building.  But can Twitter increase my sales?

You know that social media platforms (including Twitter) can be a valuable marketing tool and a wonderful outlet for connecting with current customers or potential business. The question becomes: How do I turn the Twitter conversation into a real one, complete with the potential for making a sale or closing a deal?

Facebook, as you’ve likely discovered, is not a “build it and they will come” platform.  Twitter, on the other hand, is extremely useful for seeking out a customer base, developing sales leads, finding vendors and suppliers, etc.  Scourge the Twitter platform for colleagues in your industry, those who
might be interested in your products or services and individuals or businesses that would be ideal clients/customers or service providers. Begin building your online community.  By “retweeting” others’ posts, you get noticed and you build a valuable source of content for your own followers.  It’s an ideal way to network and connect with others.  

The latest feature from Twitter is Twitter Ads, which were recently released to all United States users.  Now, you can advertise your business or promote specific tweets, much like you can do on Facebook.  Read more about this process here, and consider investing in Twitter ads as a part of your overall social media strategy.

There are a number of online, third party tools and sites that can help you easily manage your Twitter account, follow and unfollow other users, and build a relevant, meaningful following. One such tool is ManageFlitter, an online application that - with a few clicks of the mouse - helps users manage and navigate the Twitterverse.

The free version of ManageFlitter enables users to follow or unfollow up to 100 users a day (a helpful feature for users attempting to grow a fan base via the “follow/unfollow” method). However, the paid version of the site is well worth the investment. For as little as $12/month, users can sign up for ManageFlitter features such as “PowerPost,” which sends out scheduled tweets at the times they’re most likely to be seen by the most users possible. The paid version of ManageFlitter also includes basic analytical tools, which can be helpful when assessing the overall impact of your Twitter campaigns.

Remember that Twitter and the other social media platforms are all about the soft sell and taking your time to develop online relationships and trust.  Be patient and inform, educate and entertain people first, later you can sell them your newest concept, product line or event.  

This great article via Hubspot examines some top tips in finding sales leads and prospects on the popular social site. Some great advice! View the full article here and tweet on!

Susan Linning is president of ECHO SOCIAL MEDIA + MARKETING of Miami, which develops and executes social media and integrated marketing strategies, creating custom content and maintaining pages on social media platforms. ECHO also provides blogging and copy-writing services.

Read Susan Linning's recent guest post on blogging here, her post on Pinterest here, her post on her top 5 social media tips here and her post on the social media hustle here. 

 

Entrepreneurship datebook: A sampling of events going on this week

Lots going on this week. Here are just a couple of highlights from the tech side.

•  South Florida Technology Summit: Workshops, tutorials, keynotes and exhibits by top tech companies, 1 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 22, Miami Airport Convention Center, presented by TigerDirect.com, Refresh Miami (see Demo Night below) and The LAB Miami. The summit is free but you must register:  sfltechsummit.eventbrite.com

•  Refresh Miami Demo Night: Eight local tech startups pitch their companies at the free monthly event of South Florida’s largest tech organization, 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 22, Miami Airport Convention Center. Register at  refreshmiami.com     

•  Social entrepreneurship: Ashoka and Pipeline Brickell present Miami’s first look at Puddle, a new social banking platform. The event at Pipeline Brickell at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 23, includes a panel discussion on social entrepreneurship that includes the founder of Puddle. RSVP:  puddlemiami.eventbrite.com

•  Social tech: The South Florida Technology Alliance features a panel discussion titled, “Social Technology: How the Convergence of Marketing and Technology Blazes Pathways to Business Growth,” with David Carr, InformationWeek editor, and representatives from IBM, SapientNitro, Razorfish and SocialExtract, 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, May 23, The Lab Miami, in Wynwood. Entrance fees apply.  https://www.southfloridatech.org/upcoming-events/may-23-2013/

Find more events (and a smart summary of the week's news) on Andrej Kostresevic's weekly Startup Digest here: http://adk.tumblr.com/. Other good sources for tech event information whenever you need it include refreshmiami.com/events/ and miamitech.org

Also, beyond tech, the Women's Success Summit returns Tuesday and Wednesday, May 21 and 22. This time the theme of the popular conference is "Shameless Self Promotion" and it will be held at The Light Box in Wynwood. 500+ women are expected and ticket packages are still for sale. Read more here on an earlier post in Starting Gate.

Looking ahead: Starting Gate also has the lowdown on two hackathons happening June 1: Hack for Change Miami: Where art and tech meet big government data  at The LAB Miami in Wynwood and HackaNUI -- Hacking the Natural User Interface at Caffeine Spaces in Boca.

 

 

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/19/3405286/entrepreneurship-datebook.html#storylink=cpy

Susan Amat: Using your roots to grow your business

By Susan Amat

Miami is special for many reasons – among them is that we have the highest percentage of foreign-born individuals in any city in the world. That contributes to the amount of startup activity we enjoy but also is a reason why many of our businesses don’t scale to the levels other regions see over the same time period. The different perspectives and churn of the population itself keeps creativity flowing but the transitional nature of our demographics sometimes hurts an entrepreneur’s ability to reach deep into the local network for support.

The last few weeks I have been neck-deep in Diaspora education and programming. A Diaspora is defined as the scattering of a people from their homeland to other countries. A major goal of the Diaspora initiatives is engaging the community around business opportunities to increase trade and support the concept of global citizenry.

Because a great deal of the residents of South Florida are first or second generation immigrants, the concept of connecting to our region of ancestry is not as radical as it may be in other parts of the United States. Your concept may be a good idea locally, but a game-changing idea abroad.     

       In examining whether your birthplace or another region is the best place to build your customer base, finding the right experts and partners will make all the difference. You can start with the many foreign Chambers of Commerce in Miami, representing a score of countries including Spain, Brazil and France, but there are many opportunities beyond that.

Begin by looking at your roots. If you are part of a Diaspora group, there may be defined resources to support connections to help your business. That may include grant funding as well as contests to promote trade relations.

The International Diaspora Engagement Alliance (IdEA) programs are a great place to start. In Africa, the Lion@frica program has been doing incredible work, magnifying the tech startups from all over the continent. The African Diaspora Marketplace is a place where entrepreneurs can start making connections to promote their products on a global platform.

The Caribbean IdEA program takes a different approach, focused on building connections between the islands and the Diaspora. Its business competition receives hundreds of submissions to find the most promising concepts, which last year included both high-tech and agricultural businesses. Those selected receive mentoring and support as well as curated connections. Its Caribbean Diaspora Marketplace is up and ready to bridge the countries for an easier path for entrepreneurs.

Another program, which will soon be launched, is La IdEA, focused on the Latin America Diaspora.

The Miami-Dade economic development organization, the Beacon Council, regularly hosts delegations from dozens of countries each year. Contact its office and let them know about your international needs so when the opportunity arises, they may be able to invite you to represent your company, and our community, to foreign visitors. Greater Miami Chamber trade missions are another great way to learn about international opportunities. This year they already went to Peru, the Dominican Republic and Brazil and Mexico is coming up.

Finally, look to your neighbors, many of whom may have spent much of their lives in other countries. Share your concept and understand the needs of their culture. The customers with the greatest need for your product or service may be in a country where you may have never visited, so be patient and open to spending time understanding the country and economic issues. Your efforts could be the beginning of creating jobs and hope both locally and abroad.

Susan Amat is the founder of Venture Hive and the co-founder and executive director of The Launch Pad. In 2012, she was named a Champion of Change at the White House for her work mentoring entrepreneurs. Follow her on Twitter @susanamat   

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/19/3405539/susan-amat-using-your-roots-to.html#storylink=cpy

Startup Spotlight: clearCi

 
Making their moves: clearCi Director of Sales Michael Clews and CEO Joe Levy take a break at clearCI's Fort Lauderdale headquarters. Below, the clearCi team talks strategy. Photos by the Miami Herald's Joe Rimkus. 

clearCi

Headquarters: Fort Lauderdale

Concept: clearCi helps companies collect, analyze and manage intelligence so they can effectively compete in today’s digital era. clearCi supports more than 70 companies in 10 countries. Its patent-pending SaaS application works as an automated Competitive Intelligence (CI) informant to collect data about competitors and distribute it to decision makers across the enterprise.     

Story: Joe Levy and Tomer Sofinzon analyzed many industries to find a market ripe for disruption. They realized competitive intelligence, as an organized function, was missing a dominant player, and they saw tremendous growth potential. They partnered with developers Kfir Sasson and Ron Oz, experienced in CI, to create a technology solution that could turn data into actionable intelligence. After a year of R&D, clearCi launched its software in 2011, and Levy teamed up with former Meltwater colleague Michael Clews to begin marketing and selling the product to mid- and large-sized global enterprises.

Launched: March 2011

Management team: Joe Levy (founder/CEO), Tomer Sofinzon (founder/corporate development), Kfir Sasson (founder/CTO), Michael Clews (founder/director of sales)

Number of employees: 15

Financing: About $500,000 from self funding, friends & family. Currently exploring a Series A round.

Recent milestones reached: Now serves more than 70 customers, adding 50 in 2012 alone. By the end of 2012, clearCi won four awards at UP-START Cloud Awards competition in San Francisco. It also expanded its marketing and sales team in October 2012 to seven full time employees.

Biggest startup challenge: Creating national market awareness about a technology many people are not familiar with using to support strategy and improved decision making.

Next step: clearCi is expanding sales operations in Fort Lauderdale and ramping up product development at its Israeli R&D center.

Strategy: Aside from expanding its product features and capabilities, clearCi plans to continue educating the market about enterprise intelligence and innovative CI techniques and leveraging relationships to grow clearCi’s user base.

 

This is a regular feature in Business Monday and on Starting Gate. See other Startup Spotlights under the Srartup Spotlight category on this blog. To have your company considered for inclusion, email ndahlberg@miamiherald.com   

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/19/3405280/startup-spotlight-clearci.html#storylink=cpy

Startups take the stage at statewide investor conference

With interest in early-stage investing heating up, more than 200 investors, entrepreneurs and service providers came together Wednesday for the Florida Venture Forum’s Early-Stage Conference in the Orlando area.

Eighteen startup companies presented at the conference at the Reunion Resort, including five with medical devices, biotech products and  health-tech applications, and four with solutions for the bar and restaurant industry. Presenting from South Florida:  Arctico, a company offering purified ice in patented single-serving, tamper proof containers; Bookigee, which creates a new breed of tools and analytics for the book publishing industry; LearnerNation!, a cloud-based learning platform in the hot education-tech space (pictured below); Maxx Technologies, which saves bars money in liquor “shrinkage”; and 71lbs.com, a "set-and-forget, then collect" system for small businesses to easily collect unclaimed shipping refunds. Also exhibiting at the conference: spendLO, a name-your-price platform for services. Most of the  companies were trying to raise funding of  $750,000 to $2 million, some more. 

Their goal: Turn the heads of a few investors and hopefully score a follow-up meeting or two.

The Florida Venture Forum, the state's oldest and largest statewide support group for venture capitalists and entrepreneurs, said it was a record attendance for the Early-Stage Conference, now in its sixth year. For many of the attendees --  VC members who don't typically invest in early-stage companies -- it was an opportunity to view what's in the pipeline and make connections.

For angel investor attendees, it was all that -- plus potential opportunities now.  

 “I was impressed with the presentations, and they seem to get stronger every year,” said Tim Cartwright, chairman of Tamiami Angel Fund I. In the last year, the fund has made six investments, generally $250K to $1 million, including  into 71lbs.com, he said. “More than likely we’ll invite one if not two of the companies to present to our fund.”

Cartwright  said he’s seeing a dramatic increase in the number of education-technology business plans, and there were some presenting Wednesday, including Miami's LearnerNation! In the next week, Tamiami Angel Fund will be closing on an investment in Via Response, an Orlando ed-tech company, he said. Tamiami Angels, with 40 members, provides deal flow analytical graphs on its website, www.tamiamiangels.com (under resources), which show a clear spike in the last year. The single most active area  is South Florida, he said, noting that nearly a third of the deals his group has looked at are from this region.

 “We’ve never seen the quality of deals we are seeing now, companies with revenue, teams that are almost complete -- it’s a great time to be an angel investor,” added Rhys Williams, president of New World Angels, a group of 38 members whose latest investment was Bioceptive. “We have two term sheets out right now and may issue a third shortly, and that hasn’t happened in a very long
time. That speaks to the quality of the deal flow we’re seeing and that our members are very engaged.”

To kick off the event, winning teams from eight universities faced off for the Florida Venture Forum's annual collegiate competition. That included Chill-N Ice Cream, a team from University of Miami’s Launch Pad program that has seen steady, steep revenue increases at its first  store in Pinecrest and is actively looking for sites for its second and third locations now. Winning the collegiate competition was a team from Florida Gulf Coast University for a company called AquaRamp.

Follow me on Twitter @ndahlberg

HackaNUI - Hacking the Natural User Interface

Forget about web and mobile, those are so yesterday. Natural User Interface (NUI) applications use gestures and motion to interact with applications. The technology is so exciting that a hackathon has been created around it.

HackaNUI is a first of its kind hackathon dedicated to creating applications centered around Natural User Interface (NUI) technologies. Microsoft and PrimeSense (the makers of the Kinect technology) are sponsoring the event as well as many other prominent organizations.

So what is HackaNUI exactly? Mix in some awesome technology, some really talented people, throw in a day of hacking, food, fun and finally prizes and there it is!

The first HackaNUI is set for Saturday June 1, 2013 at Caffeine Spaces in Boca Raton and is free. So far, about 150 people have signed up, said Marc Asselin, founder of mLabs.

Register here: http://hackanui2013.eventbrite.com/#

For more information please visit http://HackaNUI.com

HackaNUI is the creation of mLabs and LiveMetrics. mLabs creates NUI applications for a variety of vertical markets. Visit them at http://mLabs.co

Hack for Change Miami: Where art and tech meet big government data

By Danny Lafuente

On June 1 and 2, The LAB Miami will host the 1^st Annual Hack for Change: Miami as part of the National Day of Civic Hacking. The event endeavors to bring together citizens in the spirit of collaboration to develop new technological solutions for some our country’s oldest problems. Or, as the national website puts it, “to do what is most quintessentially American: roll up our sleeves, get involved, and work together to improve our society.”

If the idea of a hackathon doesn’t already excite you, and if Uncle Sam’s call to action doesn’t already inspire you, and if you think there is actually a cooler place to be than in the heart of Wynwood, I’ll give you five reasons why you should still register and participate:

1 . Because this hackathon has new faces and new spaces. Most hackathons attract entrepreneurs, programmers, and front-end developers, but this one is also calling on artists, musicians, nonprofits, government employees, and anyone with the time and talent to spare. Hack for Change: Miami has issued three of its own challenges around Art, Technology and Sustainability. With a bevvy of other national challenges, there really is something for just about everyone. In a room full of passionate, talented people -– serendipitous collisions abound.

2. Because the data to which you’ll have access will blow your mind. Datasets and open APIs at the national level have been released by agencies like NASA, EPA, USDA, US Dept of Energy, USAID, US Dept of Labor, Census Bureau, National Science Foundation and the Peace Corps among others, in addition to a growing list of local government data. Folks, this isn’t stuff you find on Google – and
until recently, you would have needed special clearance to access it. The list of challenges range from specific ones like a national farmer’s market directory, to broad challenges on synthesizing data on everything from commute times in every neighborhood in the US to the movement of celestial bodies in outerspace.

3. Because it’s a free lesson in social entrepreneurship. Simply put, social entrepreneurship is a business that aims at solving a social problem. They differ from nonprofits because social entrepreneurs face what is called a double (or triple) bottom line, meaning they measure performance based on profit/return in addition to positive social impact. While its not easy to fix the world and make a buck doing it, companies like TOMS and Kiva have mastered it. With new local offices for organizations like Ashoka and Endeavor, Miami is a prime market for social entrepreneurs. This hackathon will not only further educate you on social enterprises, but it will also give you real life experience using some of the most coveted data in the industry.

4.  Because if you’ve EVER complained about the government, you’d be a hypocrite to sit out. This likely applies to just about everyone who’s lived since Ancient Rome but never has the government enabled, on such a broad scale, its citizens to help in directly impacting the efficacy
of government. The solutions created might lead to less traffic, greater energy efficiency, or better-informed fellow citizens. Who knows? It could even lead to a wait-free DMV…but I may be getting ahead of myself.

5. Because it’s important for Miami. Not just for the tech scene but for all of Miami’s citizens. Events like this create solutions to alleviate social problems. Events like this help build community and consensus, which are hard to achieve in a city so sprawled and culturally diverse. Events like this
bridge an important gap between the private and public sectors. The importance of this event is felt by many and is reflected in the 20-person steering committee composed of representatives from city and county government, multiple universities, local companies, and tech groups. If Miami aims to be the next big startup hub, it’s going to need governmental support. 

If you want to learn more about the different challenges or the event itself, I encourage you to come to The LAB Miami this Saturday, May 18, from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., for a networking info session that’ll be sure to answer any questions. It’s also a great place to start meeting potential teammates, brainstorming on app ideas, or sketching out potential data visualizations. And yes, food & beverages will be provided.

You can also learn more at hackforchange.org/hack-change-miami-arts-more or on The LAB’s website at www.thelabmiami.com.

Go to http://hackformiami.eventbrite.com/ and register today.

Danny Lafuente is the COO and co-founder of The LAB Miami. He is a proud Miami native and alumni of Ransom Everglades School and the University of Pennsylvania. You can email him at Danny@TheLABMiami.com.

Healthbox partners with Florida Blue on regional accelerator in Jacksonville

 Healthbox,  a business accelerator that fosters early-stage healthcare companies, and their anchor partner Florida Blue, is taking  applications through June 2 for a new 16-week accelerator program in Jacksonville.

Adding to the success of their 2012 accelerator programs located in Boston, Chicago and London, Healthbox is expanding to Florida to support entrepreneurs throughout the state, expose the local healthcare community to new and innovative solutions and help the two segments work together. “Our goal at Healthbox is to establish regional hubs of healthcare entrepreneurship throughout the country and across the globe to help build sustainable companies and ultimately improve healthcare outcomes,” says Healthbox Founder and CEO Nina Nashif.

Healthbox encourages entrepreneurs with early-stage healthcare startups aiming to deliver solutions to healthcare’s largest challenges, to apply. The selected companies will receive $50,000 in seed capital and participate in an intensive 16-week program. Receiving strategic guidance from leading industry experts during the program, these startups will learn how to grow their companies within the complex healthcare industry. Towards the end of the four months, the companies will also participate in a large-scale Innovation Day, bringing together hundreds of investors, healthcare leaders and entrepreneurs to hear the pitches of Healthbox companies in the context of their industry needs.

Applications are currently being accepted on the Healthbox website at http://healthbox.com/acceleratorprogram/#apply.

 

TechCrunch Disrupt is calling Miami -- will you answer?

By Pabla Ayala

Over 1,800 people attended TechCrunch’s Disrupt New York 2013 for three full days of startup firepower, April 29-May 1, 2013. 180 companies exhibited in Startup Alley and Hardware Alley, and 30 more duked it out on the Disrupt Battlefield stage for a chance to win $50,000 in cash and the glory and fame of being named TechCrunch Disrupt 2013 Winners. That doesn’t even include the 1,100 coders and designers that participated in the 24 hackathon that presented 164 projects on the eve of Disrupt!

Yes, the speakers were amazing and some of the best in the industry speaking candidly about their opinions, lessons learned and imparting wisdom, which you can read and watch on TechCrunch’s extensive coverage. But one thing was painfully obvious to a local South Floridian: With startups coming out the wazoo, I found only TWO South Florida-based companies present!

Among them were the 2012 SuperConf Winners LiveNinja, a digital marketplace that gives a skilled person the opportunity to become an online entrepreneur by earning additional revenue from teaching what they are best doing such as play a guitar, cook, give legal advice or even give yoga classes. (Pictured below are Will Weinraub, CEO, and Alfonso Martinez, chief creative officer of LiveNinja)

The other company was the 2012 Miami Herald Business Plan Challenge Winner Geopon, a free mobile app allowing users to find coupons and deals on their favorite items, earn points or punches which can be redeemed for prizes, store membership and loyalty card information. (Pictured below are Ido Meros, CEO and Oscar Salguero, lead mobile developer, of Geopon)

 

Both companies are great examples of South Florida’s entrepreneurial success and we are proud to have them represent us, but we need to roll up our sleeves up and get to work South Florida.

TechCrunch Disrupt San Francisco is right around the corner, September 7-11, 2013, followed by the first ever TechCrunch Disrupt Europe: Berlin, October 26-29, 2013. This means there is time to apply to compete in the Startup Battlefield or even present at Startup Alley.

Startup Battlefield Requirements:

• Your startup must be live for 3 months or less at the time of application.
• First time startup launches are preferable, but not a dealbreaker. Significant new company products are considered and any company around the world can apply.
• You have not presented at other public launch events.
• Apply here!

 "The first TechCrunch Disrupt we attended was San Francisco in 2012, before going to Disrupt New York. Both experiences were very valuable, but what we got a lot at both events was that most of the people who came to our booth were really impressed  by the fact that we are a startup based in South Florida. They even asked us if there were more startups or technology companies in Florida," says Oscar Salguero, co-founder and Lead Mobile Developer of Geopon. "People think Miami is only about fashion, boat shows, vacations and partying. It seems people have forgotten that it was a team of Boca Raton engineers that launched the first PC back in 1981 and that it was at an IBM/BellSouth campus in South Florida where the first smartphone, the Simon, was born. Silicon Valley and New York should not underestimate Miami, its surroundings and its incredible potential."

LiveNinja's founder found this to be true, too, and believes local companies need to step up to increase awareness. "This was our second year in a row attending Disrupt and both times many people we spoke with were very intrigued when we mentioned that we are a Miami-based company. The more we talk about it, the more obvious it’s become that the attendees, speakers and investors that go to these conferences don't stop to think that there's innovative activity happening here,” says Will Weinraub, CEO of LiveNinja. “Obviously they're not properly informed and fixing that is simple: local companies just need to go where they are and get in front of people's faces. The more startups attending these major conferences the more it will increase awareness, not for just the startups themselves, but for the entrepreneurial ecosystem as a whole. We need more representation on both a national and international level."

Pabla Ayala is co-founder of pFunk Media. Watch pFunk Media's videos and see blog posts from Tech Crunch Disrupt 2013 here.