Startups & Business
Coverage of emerging startups, small business trends, company launches, and growth stories across South Florida. This section highlights how local businesses are scaling, pivoting, or disrupting their industries.
-
The Farmer’s Dog is planting roots in Boca Raton. Co-founder and Lynn University alum Brett Podolsky ( Class of 2011) returned to his college town to open a new office.
-
Performant Healthcare is set to be acquired by AI-driven healthtech firm Machinify in a $670 million all cash deal backed by private equity giant New Mountain Capital.
-
Boca Raton’s Celsius, darling of South Florida’s startup scene and fitness circles, found its signature energy drink at the center of an unlikely recall: vodka-filled cans mislabeled as non-alcoholic.
-
Fintech company MyBambu has expanded into a new 35,000 square foot headquarters in West Palm Beach’s Press Building, with plans to hire 190 additional employees.
-
At the 1909 Startup Showcase, educator-turned-founder Sarah Crill introduced Cultivate Intellect, a tutoring and academic coaching venture reshaping how students build confidence and skills with a science-backed, personalized approach.
-
In a city grappling with rapid growth and shifting identity, Flamango Vending is offering a pocket sized antidote: original, affordable art from local creators, dispensed from repurposed snack machines.
-
JetBlue is pulling out of Miami International Airport this September, ending its final Boston – Miami route and shifting focus to Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach. While the airline cites poor performance, the move disrupts South Florida’s startup ecosystem, limiting direct access to key hubs like New York and Boston.
-
RealTrade, a West Palm Beach startup born out of the 1909 Accelerator, is taking on real estate’s biggest platforms with a social powered marketplace built on transparency and local connections, not lead selling.
-
Barry Mezey, a former sports agent turned blockchain advocate, is using crypto to tackle one of society’s quietest crises: unemployment among neurodivergent adults. Through his Miami-based KWAN 2.0 token and nonprofit foundation, Mezey is blending philanthropy and fintech to provide jobs, housing, and purpose for those often left behind.
-
“We’re seeing a structural shift in the way brands allocate their media dollars” said Brian Wieser, President of Business Intelligence at WPP. “User-generated content has reached a scale and trust factor that traditional media can’t match. It’s not just about reach anymore, it’s about relevance and intimacy. Creators deliver both.”