For years, our startup scene became known for packed events, visiting founders, and growing attention from investors. But after working with hundreds of companies, Mana Tech came to a simple conclusion: founders do not need another happy hour. They need customers, capital, and people who can help them grow.
“What they needed was customers or they needed investors or they needed trusted interactions,” Charly Esnal, CEO of Mana Tech, told Refresh Miami. “The events are good. Again, they’re a key element of what we do, but they just don’t need another event.”
That realization is reshaping one of Miami’s best-known startup groups.
This year, Mana Tech has hosted 94 events. Its programs have brought roughly 65 startups from countries including Brazil, Uruguay, Spain, Peru, India, and Israel to Miami. Its downtown space now spans two fully booked floors, while around 180 members take part in mentoring, office hours, peer sessions, and introductions.
But Esnal said those activities are now the starting point rather than the goal.
“A few years ago, the focus was more on creating community, on bringing founders together, hosting events, building energy around the Miami tech ecosystem,” he said. “That was very important because the ecosystem was maturing.”
After watching founders face the same problems again and again, Mana Tech began asking a different question: what does Miami need to help companies succeed once they arrive?
One answer is Scale to Miami, a program focused on helping international startups secure their first US investment. Its latest cohort drew 240 applicants. Twenty companies were selected, with six traveling to Miami for an in-person program centered on fundraising, investor access, and US expansion.
“Miami has already won the battle for attention. Now it has to win the battle for outcomes.”
For Esnal, Miami is becoming a more credible entry point into the American market. “I think Miami is positioning itself now as the landing pad,” he said.
He believes many founders abroad still underestimate the depth of the local ecosystem. That perception often changes once they arrive.
“Miami sits between one of the world’s most dynamic innovation regions – Latin America – and the deepest capital market in the world. That is a structural advantage, but geography alone doesn’t create opportunity. You need institutions that connect both sides.”
“I’ve been pitching Miami’s tech scene for ten years,” Esnal continued. “Now we have some substance to what we offer. We see real companies moving to Miami. We see VCs coming and setting up shop in Miami.”
The city still has gaps. The current focus on artificial intelligence has pulled many founders toward Silicon Valley, while growth-stage capital remains harder to access locally.
Mana Tech is responding by working more closely with venture firms, particularly those focused on Latin America. The aim is to move beyond one-off visits and create stronger ties between investors and companies building from Miami.
“Infrastructure is when those investors have a reason to be here throughout the year,” Esnal said. “When they get to know the ecosystem, when they get to meet founders more consistently and build relationships.”
“The next chapter of Miami tech won’t be written by conferences,” he added. “It will be written by the permanent institutions that help companies access capital, customers, and markets.”
Talent is another focus. Esnal said Miami has benefited from experienced operators moving to the city and working as advisors or fractional executives. Technical talent remains less visible, however, prompting Mana Tech to work on ways to connect startups with local developers.
“I think a lot of things are happening under the radar and a little bit disconnected,” he said. That’s part of the reason why Mana Tech is involved in plans for the Nikola Tesla Innovation Hub in downtown Miami, which is expected to include two floors and roughly 20,000 square feet of space for startups, corporations, and international groups.
For Esnal, the larger aim is clear.
“It’s not our job to be the hero,” he said. “Our job is to make everyone else more successful.”
READ MORE IN REFRESH MIAMI:
- Founders Rise Miami launches free workshops for women and minority founders
- Coding, cafecito, and community: Get to know 5 groups powering Miami’s tech scene
- Miami’s tech opportunity is to take on New York City, not San Francisco
- This month, Chile Tech Tour brings 16 startups to Miami for innovation showcase
