The Starting Gate

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.

 

Free South Florida Technology Summit on May 22

TigerDirect.com together with The LAB Miami and Refresh Miami are bringing a South Florida Technology Summit to South Florida next week. It will include workshops, tutorials,  keynotes and exhibits by top companies such as  Intel, Microsoft, Sony, Dell, Samsung, LG, Toshiba and Canon, TigerDirect says.

To be held from 1 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Miami Airport Convention Center, 777 NW 72nd Ave. in Miami, on May 22,  the summit is free but you must register. Tickets are available via fltechsummit.eventbrite.com.

The summit is divided into business and consumer sections. Businesses are the emphasis from 1 pm to 5 p.m., and there will be seminars every 30 minutes on the latest technology and ideas for making your business more productive, enhancing the employee/consumer experience and taking it to the next level. There will also be on-site entertainment including Dell’s Ovei Pod, an immersive, state-of-the-art digital media experience capsule that allows users to access, experience, interact with and enjoy any media source including movies and gaming.

The LAB Miami will host four to six 15-minute workshops throughout the day on topics such as  Product Photography,  NFC Technology,  Social Entrepreneurship,  Collaborative Doodling,  Pitching to VCs and   Hardware Hacking.

From 5 pm to 9 pm, the Consumer Hours will include networking, food and drink, contests and more, including  Refresh Miami’s Demo Night at 7 p.m., where 10 local tech companies demo their products and ideas and are given 5 minutes each to do so.  Tickets to the event by Refresh Miami, the largest grassroots tech organization in South Florida,  may be attained via this  link.

Nominations open for Latino business award

Nominations are open for Latino business owners in Florida and across the nation who demonstrate “powerful leadership and outstanding success in their industry” to be named Verizon’s 2013 Latino Entrepreneur of the Year.

The winning entrepreneur will be awarded $25,000, five Motorola 4G LTE wireless devices, and one year of wireless voice and data service from Verizon Wireless.

Entrepreneurs may nominate their own businesses. Applications are due by Oct. 4, 2013.

For nomination applications or more information, visit http://www.verizoninsider.com/negocios.

Winners will be honored at a gala in Los Angeles later in the year.

7 ways Google Hangouts can connect you to your customers

By Tasha Cunningham

There is a social network out there that is quickly outpacing the growth of Twitter and if you don’t have a presence on it, you are missing out on potential customer engagement, revenue and exposure for your business. In existence for just two years, Google + is on track to surpass Twitter as the No. 2 most popular social network, behind Facebook according to GlobalWebIndex, a London-based internet analytics company. GlobalWebIndex reports that Google + has 359 million active users. That’s 33 percent more than the 269 million users the social network had at the end of June 2012.

As a small business owner, you probably haven’t had time to explore the ins and outs of this growing social network just yet. You might want to make time because there is a free feature of Google + that you have to try at least once. It’s called Google Hangouts. Hangouts are video chats that you can have with friends, relatives and colleagues over the Internet free. It’s akin to Skype in the way it functions.

If you’ve got Google +, you simply need to log in to your account and click “Start a Hangout”. From there, you get a series of prompts that take you through the steps you need to get schedule and start your Hangout. Be sure to check out Hangouts on Air, a feature that gives you the opportunity to broadcast your Hangout to others on your YouTube channel, on Google + or on your website.      

      And while it has got a lot of pros, Google + does have its cons. One of which, is that you’ve got to have a Google ID to use it. That also means that for people to join your Hangout, they’ve got to have one too. And the more apps you add to your Hangout, the slower your connection speed, resulting in lag time.

So how you use Google Hangouts to market your small business? Here are seven ways to help you get started.

•  Hold a product demonstration.

Use Google Hangouts to hold a demonstration of your product and how to best use it. Offer to hangout one-on-one with anyone who wants more information. You can invite up to nine people to hang out with you at once. Take your nine best customers and give them an exclusive look at your new product.

•  Use Google Capture.

Capture is a new app that allows you to take photographs of a Google Hangout in progress. It’s a great way to share moments with those who couldn’t be there to see it for themselves.

•  Provide customer support.

Use Google Hangouts to provide face-to-face customer service support. This gives your customers the opportunity to connect with you to discuss their problem from the comfort of their home or office.

•  Host an online launch party for a product.

When you launch a new product, use Google Hangouts to give people who can’t be there to host an online launch party. For customers who can’t attend or people who live in other countries, it’s a way to be a party of the action.

•  Create a sponsored Hangout.

While there are currently no ads on Google Hangouts, there are creative ways to make money hosting a one. In April, Glamour magazine recently launched a week-long series of Hangouts that incorporated chats with celebrities and readers alike. They strategically placed new products from major brands like L’Oreal and Pantene. Each brand sponsored the Hangout that their product was featured in. Think about teaming up with other companies to create a Hangout that can result in revenue for all involved.

•  Create a standing Hangout.

Let your customers know that every week at a certain time you’ll be hosting a hangout just to connect with your customers. You could tie into a weekly promotion. For example, you could give out a password or online coupon code during the Hangout and when customers use it, they receive their reward. Be sure to check out the website Google Plus Hangouts ( www.gphangouts.com) to see what other permanent hangouts are happening related to your industry.

•  Join other Hangouts to promote yours.

Spend time checking out other Hangouts and promote your own while you’re at it. Try to find Hangouts in your industry and be a vocal participate. At the end, when it’s time to sign off, take a second to plug your Hangout as well.

Want more information on Google Hangouts? Check out  http://www.google.com/+/learnmore/hangouts/

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/12/3394118/7-ways-google-hangouts-can-connect.html#storylink=cpy

diasporas@miami a call to action

Saturday’s diasporas@miami event was part a celebration of Latin American diaspora entrepreneurship and part call to action. While speakers shared their entrepreneurial journeys and startups pitched their businesses, there were also strong calls for immigration reform and incentives to help startups grow and promote an entrepreneurial ecosystem. And, the participants believe, Miami shines brightly as an ideal place to bridge the worlds and launch global businesses.

The celebration, which drew representatives from the U.S. government, public-private partnerships and plenty of entrepreneurs, was also grounded in economic fundamentals. “Of the Fortune 500 companies, 40 percent were founded by immigrants or children on immigrants. Clearly there is a massive economic upside. It’s not just a social issue, it is a hard-core serious economic opportunity,” said Patrick Hidalgo, deputy director of the White House Business Council, pictured here with Susan Amat. “The numbers are astonishing -- look at remittance flows. The whole notion of national identity is changing, where people can live in between. It’s a massive force, how do we … use our assets to help stimulate this inspiring entrepreneurship coming out of the diaspora communities?”

Miami is the city with the largest percentage of foreign-born individuals in the world, and Miami-Dade County as a region is also ranked at the top in foreign-born population worldwide, added Susan Amat, founder of the Venture Hive, the new Miami entrepreneur space that hosted the event and is already full of diaspora startups, including seven Argentinian entrepreneurs, five Brazilians, three Cubans, two Venezuelans and a Colombian. “Looking at the important work that Latin American entrepreneurs have done, it’s becoming increasingly clear that Miami is going to play a critical role” as a technology hub for the Americas, she said.

Carlos Garcia, CEO of Nobox and an angel investor, agrees: “2013 is a year for Miami to leap forward in a huge way. Facebook is setting up its Latin America headquarters here – that is a very big deal. They realize they need a headquarters and that headquarters only makes sense in Miami.”

Still, there are challenges such as immigration limits, brought up during a panel (pictured here) l of Garcia, Stephen Keppel of Univision and Nicolai Bezsonoff of .CO Internet. Bezsonoff said he recently lost a great potential employee who couldn’t get her visas. “If you want to grow economy here, It’s not about closing doors, it’s letting the right people in so you can spark innovation and spark growth of the company and make it something that can hire a hundred more people,” he said, noting that knowledge transfer is critical and even securing temporary visas can be difficult. “If we want Miami to be a technology hub of the Americas, we need to import, not just export. It has to be easier for businesses.”

There are other ways government can help, the panelists said, all noting that Miami is ideal for a Latin American startup as well as for U.S. or European companies doing business in Latin America. “Incentives are going to be very important,” said Garcia, suggesting government incentives for startups to stay here and tax incentives for investing in early-stage companies make sense, he said. Providing funds for programs run by private-sector partners that help diaspora startups is another way.

 “Miami is an awesome place to be. By working with entrepreneurs in Latin America, there’s a symbiotic relationship for business and jobs and growth. We need to look for ways to work with setting up the right relationships with the federal, local and state governments and the private sector and we are on the way to doing that,” Keppel, the director of empowerment issues for Univision Network News. He noted the work Univision is doing with La idEA, a new platform to connect Latino entrepreneurs in the U.S. with opportunities and entrepreneurs in Latin America.

The event also included a keynote address by Tony Argiz, CEO of top 40 accounting firm Morrison, Brown, Argiz and Farra, who recounted his journey from Cuba at age 9, and also pitches by iMasterdata, CloudShopper, GetMyRx, NightPro, Tabber and everypost. The event was in partnership with the International Diaspora Engagement Alliance, the U.S. State Department, Univision and Venture Hive and was part of the larger Global Diaspora Forum going on this week in Washington DC, in which Amat also participated in. In addition to Miami, satellite events were also held in Dublin, Toronto, Los Angeles and Silicon Valley.

Startup Spotlight: GradSave.com

GradSave.com

Concept: A college savings registry that makes it easy for friends and family to give directly to a child’s college savings plan in lieu of less meaningful gifts, such as trinkets — think of it as the “Kickstarter for college savings.”

Story: The rising cost of college is one of the biggest financial issues plaguing American families today, and student debt has surpassed credit card debt. GradSave was inspired after Marcos Cordero (pictured here) realized there was no easy way to give directly to his goddaughter’s college savings plan, and so he co-founded the company with Irma Grondin, his goddaughter’s mom, to make college savings easy. GradSave aims to be the de-facto standard for responsible gifts at birthday, milestones, baby showers and other holidays.     

Launched: early 2012

Management team: Cordero, formerly a management consultant for Fortune 500 clients, is CEO. His team includes Sergio Mendoza, CTO, Erik Nestorovic, who manages development, and Eddie Pradel, who manages customer relations.

Financing: $1.2 million from private angels and a venture capital investment from Idea Fund Partners in North Carolina.

Milestones: In December, GradSave acquired the No. 1 college savings information site, savingforcollege.com. In January, a Living Social deal went viral with 10,000-plus sales.

Biggest startup challenge: “Getting engagement and building a thriving community with our customers — we have proven we can acquire customers, now we need to get them loving GradSave,” said Cordero.

Next step: Increase gift dollars per customer — the goal is to help families reach their first $1,000 of college savings via GradSave. One way is through its $1,000 Birthday Challenge, in which GradSave adds $100 when $1,000 is raised.

Advice for next steps: “The best way for GradSave to build a community of loyal customers is to provide clear value to the customer and to make it easy for them to recognize that value. We want our customers singing our praises to their friends and family,” said Lister Delgado, of Idea Fund Partners who was initially attracted to GradSave by the strength of its CEO and the company’s leadership position in a fast-growing market. Delgado suggested GradSave should continue educating and providing tools for customers to make better saving and investing decisions and communicating its value proposition clearly.

Nancy Dahlberg

Startup Spotlight highlights companies started within the past five years that have hit key milestones. To have your company considered for inclusion, email businessmonday@miamiherald.com

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/12/3394120/startup-spotlight-gradsavecom.html#storylink=cpy

Legal Hackathon Miami: And the winners are...

I was not able to attend the presentations on Saturday night, but Kubs Lalchandani of Lalchandani Simon provided the details and photos.

This past weekend’s Legal Hackathon Miami kicked off Friday night at Pipeline Brickell. After some networking and then keynote speeches by Alex Donn from AT&T, Brian Breslin from Refresh Miami and Thomas Packert from Orthosensor, ideas for apps were presented and teams took shape. Teams worked for the next 22 hours on their ideas – some brought blankets and sleeping bags – and made their presentations Saturday evening to judges Ben Wirz from the Knight Foundation, Anton Diego from EveryMundo, Andrej Kostresevic from New Frontier Nomads and Kubs Lalchandani from Lalchandani Simon.

The grand prize was  $5,000 for Best Legal App provided by the Knight Foundation. “Knight Foundation believes in the power of technology and collaboration as an impetus for community building, which underlies the intent of Legal Hackathon Miami,” said Matt Haggman, Miami program director for Knight Foundation. “In the legal sector specifically, technology innovation can create an avenue for new efficiencies and improved services contributing to progress and supporting a stronger and healthier community.”

About 200 people, including about 30 attorneys, attended the hackathan and about 100 people took part on the teams, some of which included attorneys. Lalchandani, an attorney and the main organizer of the event,  said during the opening evening of Legal Hackathon Miami to expect more hackathons with themes spinning off industries strong in South Florida and ripe for technological innovation. One that may be coming soon, he said: a hackathon for the hospitality/tourism industry. Stay tuned!

And the Legal Hackathan Miami winners were:

Best Legal App - $5000 Knight Foundation Sponsored Prize

"Pocket Docket" - an application that allows attorneys to track their clients’ cases and communicate that status to their clients via text messages. The winners: Jaime Allauca Palacios, Javier Pablo Carabeo, Pedro Andres Carabeo-Nieva and Gustavo Adolfo Rearte.

1st Best General App - $500 in Gift Cards & 12 months Medium service from Github

"Odero" - an app that allows lawyers to quickly access a judges rules of procedure.

2nd Best General App - $300 in Gift Cards & 12 months Small service from Github

"Locus Lex" - an app that allows travelers in foreign countries to quickly find a lawyer based on key word searches.

3rd Best General App - $200 in Gift Cards & 12 months Micro service from Github

"Solve" - an app that allows clients to find and communicate with lawyers quickly and efficiently based on key word searches.

Best Idea - Sierra Wireless Unite Devices and 1 month service

"VisaValet" - an app that guides United States Visa applicants through the application process and then identifies a lawyer that can help them apply.

Best AT&T API App

"Locus Lex" - an app that allows travelers in foreign countries to quickly find a lawyer based on key word searches.

Winning team Pocket Docket and Legal Hackathon Miami judges. And above, the judges watch the presentations.