eMerge Americas Highlights, Day One
The eMerge Americas global tech conference wrapped a successful first day in Miami, Florida. The premier technology event connecting the U.S., Latin America and Europe welcomed a diversity of speakers and panelists from all spectrums, including Co-founder & CEO of Blockchain.com, Peter Smith; Mayor of the City of Miami, Francis Suarez; Cofounder and Former Executive Chairman of Reddit, Alexis Ohanian; Grammy-Award Winning Global Artist, Armando “Pitbull” Perez; two-time NBA All-Star, Baron Davis; and many others. Today’s conversations focused on transforming Miami’s economy and building a sustainable, diverse, and inclusive tech ecosystem.
To kick off today’s sessions, eMerge Americas CEO Felice Gorordo welcomed attendees:
“We’re thrilled to bring together the best and brightest minds from around the world to the ‘Magic City’ for two jam-packed days of networking and showcasing our amazing innovation ecosystem. We’re proud to be part of this #MiamiTech movement helping transform South Florida into the tech hub of the Americas.”
Today, eMerge Americas announced the launch of its inaugural eMerge Magazine with publishing partner, Havas House. The Miami tech industry story goes beyond what facts and figures can tell. It’s a story about the entire innovation ecosystem — entrepreneurs, investors, academia, corporate and government leaders working together to achieve a common goal. You can access the first edition HERE.
Highlights of today’s sessions included:
- Peter Smith, Co-founder & CEO, Blockchain.com & City of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez
Smith and Mayor Suarez opened up the conference midday with excitement. “We wanted to be somewhere that was excited about crypto, and that was Miami,” remarked Smith to the standing-room only crowd. “We’ve never had a city welcome us as much as the city of Miami. Thank you for welcoming us and sharing your beautiful city with us.”
See more: Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava to join eMerge 2022
- Baron Davis, two-time NBA All-Star + Chris Adamo, Cofounder, Flamingo Capital & Letterhead
During their panel discussion on exploring the intersection of NFTs, Venture Capital, and the cultural land of communities, Chris Adamo and Baron Davis highlighted how Web3 is changing the landscape in Miami. “There is a boom happening in Miami but it’s really a great community vibe that is happening as Miami starts to rebrand itself as Web3, as technology,” said Davis. “You actually get to build your own ecosystem and reconnect and build your own community.”
- Armando “Pitbull” Perez; Lin Dai, CEO and Co-founder of OneOf; and Francies Suarez, Mayor of the City of Miami – moderated by CNBC’s Kate Rooney
A Conversation with Pitbull, Mr. Dai & the Mayor of the 305 revolved around NFTs, the music industry, and the transformation of Miami into a tech hub. During this panel discussion, they showcased how NFTs give artists an outlet to be creative with their work. “ NFT is a brand new world and for people who are creative it is very exciting,” said Pitbull. “It’s a variable, there’s so many things that you can do with it, whether it’s experiencing a tour or whether it’s me connecting with an artist.”
