Nate Robert-Eze, founder of Miami-based Path Intelligence, has a simple strategy when preparing for a pitch competition: Do it 100 times.
He takes that approach seriously enough that he built his own tool to record his pitches, track how often he practices and evaluate each attempt. That preparation paid off Saturday, when Path Intelligence won this year’s SPARC Ignite competition.
Robert-Eze will now head to the Startup World Cup Global Competition in San Francisco, where he will represent South Florida and compete for a $1 million investment prize. If he takes home the prize, Robert-Eze said he plans to use the funding to grow Path Intelligence’s team and expand its go-to-market efforts with real estate developers.
Path Intelligence is building an AI sales agent for real estate developers that combines 3D virtual experiences with conversational AI. The technology tracks how prospective buyers interact with a property and the questions they ask, giving sales teams more context when following up.
“We like to say we turn the first call to make it feel like the fifth call,” Robert-Eze said.
Robert-Eze was one of 40 founders from Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties who took the stage at Converge Miami, each given three minutes and no slides to make their case to a panel of judges.
Hilmon Sorey, co-founder of The Source, said this year’s applicant pool continued to grow more diverse, while the companies themselves showed more traction.
“This year the applicants and finalists had momentum; measurable traction in the form of users, customers, or revenue,” Sorey said.
Meet the Finalists
Rounding out the top three were Wink Biotherapeutics, which is developing RNA-based therapeutics targeting Type 1 diabetes and solid tumors, and Immuniscan, a platform that uses microchip technology to verify animal identity and health information for travel.
Meagan Williams, vice president on JPMorgan’s Innovation Economy Technology Growth Banking team and a SPARC judge for the second year, said she was particularly struck by founders building companies in industries already well established in the region.
“These founders aren’t just building great companies, they’re building in areas that play to South Florida’s existing strengths while also pushing those industries forward,” Williams said.
Seven other startups advanced to the final round:
- Early Intervention Systems Inc: An AI-powered communication and compliance platform for senior living and health care teams.
- VIMEDRA: An AI-powered health care platform that helps care teams automate patient outreach and connect patients with health and social services.
- QuiqPix: An on-demand platform that matches businesses with vetted local creators for photo, video and social media content.
- parAiLegal Code-Blue: A legal technology platform offering guidance and incident documentation for high-stakes encounters.
- CarResQ: A vehicle recovery and repair platform connecting drivers with roadside assistance, mechanics and recovery services.
- SenType: A market intelligence platform that helps investors understand how news and events could affect their portfolios.
- FindTribe LLC: A location-sharing app designed to help groups stay connected at crowded events, including when cellular service is limited.
Beyond the Competition
Ryan Pruitt, managing director at Ocean Azul Partners, said this year’s pitches offered a broader look at where South Florida’s startup ecosystem stands.
“This year’s pitches told me South Florida has graduated from hype to growth,” Pruitt said. “The next test is depth: more repeat founders, more local follow-on capital, and more companies choosing to scale here rather than just start here. Based on what we saw, we’re heading in the right direction.”
The support for founders will extend beyond the competition, with 10 founders joining FUEL, SPARC’s six-month fellowship program focused on go-to-market support, mentorship and connections to investors and strategic partners. All 40 founders who competed will also receive a free coworking membership at The Hub @ Office Logic.
Pictured at the top of this post: Top Row: (L) Zakiyya White, Nate Robert-Eze (winner), Hilmon Sorey. Bottom Row: Kevin Cadette, Meagan Williams, Sonja Markova, Alejandra Slatapolsky, Ryan Pruitt.
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anayansy@yansymedia.com.
- Path Intelligence takes top prize at SPARC Ignite 2026 – September 29, 2026
- SPARC Ignite returns with new fellowship and a shot at $1 million prize – September 22, 2026
- Founders Rise Miami launches free workshops for women and minority founders – June 19, 2026
