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HOPE Hydration to expand water stations in Miami
HOPE Hydration will provide free, filtered water to public spaces in the City of Miami, reducing plastic waste. Miami commissioners today voted to approve the pilot program.
The venture-funded Miami startup already operates dozens of water stations around Miami-Dade and beyond, where users can fill reusable bottles with free filtered water. HOPE Hydration says its stations have helped divert more than 5.7 million single-use plastic bottles from landfills. The stations have digital screens that can display advertisements, community information, public service announcements and emergency alerts.
“This is something we have been working on for years, and builds on the amazing start we have kicked off with Miami-Dade County,” said CEO Jorge Richardson said in a LinkedIn post. “We really truly are just getting started.”
Last month, Miami-Dade County and Hope Hydration launched a countywide pilot program for the HydroStations, which will be available at Metrorail stations and other public spaces.
Last year, HOPE Hydratoin raised a $20 million Series A . It was recently included on Time Magazine’s best inventions of 2025 list.
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To the moon for Mission Space
Mission Space, a Miami-based space-environment data company developing compact instruments for the lunar surface, and Puli Space Technologies, a Budapest-based lunar technology company developing lightweight rover platforms and lunar payload systems, announced a partnership to explore joint lunar surface missions using Puli Space’s rover platform and Mission Space’s lunar environmental monitoring instruments.
Mission Space was also recently tapped by NASA to advance its lunar dust and surface-charging monitoring instrument in collaboration with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
Under the new MOU, Mission Space and Puli Space intend to evaluate a lunar mission concept in which Puli Space’s rover provides mobility, surface access, local terrain context, rover telemetry, and mission operations support, while Mission Space instruments collect localized measurements of the lunar environment along rover traverses and at mission-relevant locations.
“Mission Space is focused on turning lunar environmental measurements into an operational data layer for the Moon,” said Mary Glaz, CEO of Mission Space, in a statement. “A rover-based mission allows us to measure how the local environment changes across terrain, illumination conditions, rover activity, and selected surface locations. That data is relevant for future lunar infrastructure, anomaly attribution, mission planning, and long-duration surface operations.”
The companies will also explore a joint commercial lunar surface data product combining Mission Space environmental measurements with Puli Space rover context, location, traverse, and surface operations data.
3
Mentoro to launch cohort for travel and hospitality industry
Mentoro, a non-profit organization offering mentorship services to young professionals, is launching its latest cohort in Miami, dedicated to the Travel & Hospitality industry. Like in last year’s Miami cohort in Data, AI & Tech cohort, Mentoro will pair young professionals with senior executives – this time from companies like Norwegian Cruise Line, Silversea, Club Med, and Royal Caribbean.
Since its foundation in 2016, Mentoro has helped more than 2,500 people across Miami, New York and Montreal through its mentorship program, workshops and events. The organization creates industry-specific mentoring cohorts to connect emerging professionals with accomplished leaders who can share their knowledge, advice and experience.
“When we explored potential themes for our next Miami cohort, Travel & Hospitality quickly emerged as the obvious choice,” says Sandra Abi-Rashed, co-founder of Mentoro. “Miami is one of North America’s most dynamic travel and hospitality markets. Yet while investment is accelerating, the industry is also facing a growing shortage of experienced talent. Its future relies on developing, retaining and elevating the professionals already in the pipeline… In today’s digitally connected world, there is still no substitute for authentic, in-person conversations over a cup of coffee. That’s how confidence grows, careers accelerate, and meaningful connections are built.” concludes Sandra.
The cohort is open to young professionals with 5 to 12 years of experience in the travel and hospitality space. Interested candidates can apply at www.mentoro.co by August 31, 2026.
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Magic Leap to lay off 193 employees
In our last news roundup, we reported that Magic Leap, the Broward County-based pioneer in augmented reality devices, announced its pivot away from making devices and into licensing its technology. Now, it has informed the state of Florida it intends to lay off 193 employees effective Oct. 1, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported.
The company, founded in 2010 and based in Plantation, indicated in a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notice to Florida Commerce that the terminations will include senior and staff level positions in hardware, manufacturing engineering, product management, quality, software and technical program management. Executives in engineering and other leadership positions are also affected. Read more here.
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Miami’s life sciences industry growing fast: Report
The Miami metro area was one of the US’s fastest-growing life sciences markets based on strong employment growth and investor interest, according to CBRE’s 2026 Life Sciences Talent Brief. The findings shed light on the trends shaping real estate demand in the sector, which includes pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical technology and research and development.
Locally, venture capital investment in life sciences businesses shot up to $697 million in 2025, according to CRBE. It’s up 900% year over year, the South Florida Business Journal reported. The report said some of the biggest gains occurred in emerging markets like Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Austin, Pittsburgh and Dallas-Fort Worth.
In South Florida, total employment in the sector reached almost 25,000 workers – an increase of 2.1%, above the national growth rate of 0.2%. The region also performed well when it comes to core life sciences employment, which includes occupations most closely tied to demand for laboratory space. The research found core life sciences employment increased 10% to 8,154 workers, also outpacing the national average. Read more here.
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Eve Air Mobility announces Florida eVTOL partnership
Eve Air Mobility announced a partnership with the Florida Department of Transportation for a focused Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) initiative at SunTrax Air.
The FDOT-led initiative will bring together Eve’s expertise in eVTOL aircraft, operations, and services with SunTrax Air’s research, testing, and validation capabilities. The effort will focus on delivering insights into the infrastructure, operational procedures, and airspace navigation procedures needed to enable the safe and efficient integration of Advanced Air Mobility into Florida’s transportation network.
“Florida recognizes its strategic role in the future of Advanced Air Mobility and is proactively building the ecosystem needed to support it,” said Eve’s CEO Johann Bordaisy. “Chief Will Watts and the FDOT team understand that successfully introducing a new mode of transportation requires alignment across aircraft, infrastructure, operations, and communities. Building on Embraer’s longstanding relationship with the state, Eve is proud to bring its expertise to help advance Florida’s vision and readiness for eVTOL operations.”
Owned and operated by FDOT, SunTrax Air serves as Florida’s dedicated Advanced Air Mobility research and development hub, providing a collaborative environment to evaluate technologies, operational concepts, and supporting infrastructure for next-generation aviation.
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More #MiamiTech news
- DEEP has received $935,000 in funding from the State of Florida to support research missions on Vanguard, the company’s pilot underwater human habitat at Tennessee Reef in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The award follows DEEP’s announcement of its Vanguard deployment. The funding will support up to six research teams from Florida universities and research institutions. Each awarded team will complete a five-day mission on Vanguard between November 2026 and June 2027. The Undersea Human Presence and Technology Advancement Program (UHPTAP) is open to research in two priority areas: reef restoration and environmental monitoring, and human-machine collaboration. The RFP is open now, with proposals due by September 1, 2026. Eligibility requirements, priority areas, and submission instructions are available here
- Majority, a provider of digital banking and financial services to immigrants founded in 2019, signed a lease for a 4,095-square-foot retail space in WYND 28, at 128 N.W. 28th St. While many fintech businesses do not have retail spaces, Majority operates hybrid physical locations that serve as offices and community centers for immigrants who may need help navigating banking services, the South Florida Business Journal reported. Majority already has a headquarters at WYND 28. It’s unclear if it will relocate to the new location or if it is adding another space in the building. The company did not respond to a request for comment. Read more here.
- Segpay, a pioneer in digital payment processing, announced that Tom John has joined the company as Chief Technology Officer. John will lead Segpay’s technology team and will oversee the continued development of Segpay’s payment platform as part of the company’s long-term growth plan. Said Segpay CEO Cathy Beardsley: “Tom brings extensive leadership experience and a proven track record of building and growing organizations.” He has more than 25 years of experience leading technology organizations in the financial and consulting industries. Most recently, he co-founded AI data analytics company InsitesData, where he served as CIO and CTO. He will work out of Segpay’s South Florida headquarters.
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Jobs, jobs, jobs
Chewy – Sr Product Designer
Gail – Sr VoIP/ Telephony Infrastructure Engineer
Openfx – Compliance Operations Lead
Opendoor – Content Lead
Opendoor – Sr Marketing Technology Manager
Openfx – Executive Assistant, GTM Team
Payabli – CX Operations Manager
Payabli – Sr Software Engineer, Backend
Payabli – Technical Support Specialist
Ramp – Solutions Consultant
Vultr – GTM Engineer
Vultr – Identity and Access Management Engineer
Find more opportunities on Refresh Miami’s job board here.
PLUS
Opportunity knocks
- Black Ambition’s 2026 Fundable Founders Learning Lab is a 10-week virtual sprint designed to help Florida-based founders become fundable, scalable, investment-ready and profitable. Learn more and apply by Aug. 4.
- The Florida Council of 100 and its partners opened applications for Ambition Accelerated, a program for defense and dual use, fintech, health tech and resilience startups. Learn more and apply here by Aug. 21.
- The Risk and Resilience Tech Hub at FIU is accepting applications from companies developing innovative materials, products, and technologies that improve the resilience of infrastructure systems. Apply here by Aug. 22.
- Are you Miami curious? Maybe you’re ready for more sunshine or tired of state income taxes. Maybe you’re just looking for your next adventure. The challenge usually isn’t the city, it’s figuring out how to make the move make sense – the right role, the right company, the right connections. If you’ve been thinking about Miami, check out moveto.miami, powered by Refresh Miami. We’re here to help.
- Calling all Florida-based startups: GatorPitch Miami has always been an opportunity for University of Florida-affiliated startups to get in front of South Florida’s vibrant investor and entrepreneurial ecosystem. For this year’s event on Nov. 5, UF Innovate is opening the opportunity to pitch to Florida-affiliated companies. Find out more here and apply here by Sept. 4.
- Applications are open for the inaugural West Palm Entrepreneurship and Adversity Program (WPEAP), a 10-month initiative designed to support individuals facing economic hardship while launching or growing a business. The program, managed by the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship at Florida State University and the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship, cost is $500, but scholarships of $475 are available. Learn more here and apply by Aug. 1.
- Applications are open for Florida International University’s Risk and Resilience Tech Hub (RRTH) program. Learn more and apply here by Aug. 22.
ICYMI – Catch up!
- Recent startup fundraises: Fertility startup that aims to be the go-to place for affordable IVF raises $4M and launches in West Palm Beach
- Cordant emerges from stealth with $8M to build the next layer of financial infrastructure
- Relocation and expansion news: Google quadruples its office space in Miami – who’s next?
- Latest special report: Meet the fractional executives behind some of Miami’s fastest-growing startups
- In the spotlight:
- Mana Tech thinks Miami’s next chapter needs more than networking
- Miami-based City Labs sends into orbit tiny nuclear batteries that could power space exploration
- Climate-tech startup FortyGuard wants to make weather personal
- PriorityEvac is building a smarter way to evacuate before hurricanes hit
- FIU’s RRTH Innovation Center opens applications to support resilient infrastructure startups
- How Miami startup Streann became part of the World Cup’s biggest screens
- SoccerPath helps parents find the right soccer team for their kids
- And much more paywall-free #MiamiTech news here!
Have news to report? Email Nancy Dahlberg at nancy@refreshmiami.com and follow her on X @ndahlberg and on LinkedIn. Subscribe to Refresh Miami’s free weekly newsletter here featuring startup news, tech job opportunities and events.
- 8+ things to know in #MiamiTech: News from HOPE Hydration, Mission Space, Mentoro, Magic Leap, Eve Air Mobility, DEEP, Majority, Segpay & more – July 27, 2026
- Fertility startup that aims to be the go-to place for affordable IVF raises $4M and launches in West Palm Beach – July 23, 2026
- Google quadruples its office space in Miami – who’s next? – July 22, 2026
