eMerge Americas: Join the Movement, via YouTube.

Xavier Gonzalez is executive director of eMerge Americas, the movement behind a technology event hosted by the Technology Foundation of the Americas, that is scheduled for May 1-7 across South Florida. Knight Foundation is a founding funder of the event. 

The momentum in the Miami technology scene was on full display last month when we celebrated the official kickoff for eMerge Americas Techweek. This event in May will bring together civic innovators, entrepreneurs, corporate titans and global thought leaders to establish a technology corridor for Latin America. Miami, long known as the gateway to the Americas, is fast becoming the technology hub of the region.

On Feb. 12, more than 250 community leaders and international dignitaries celebrated with custom artwork, robots, and even an appearance by Mr. 305, Armando Christian Perez, aka Pitbull. It was an electrifying evening filled with discussions of  “what’s new,” “what’s hot” and “what’s possible” for this incredibly significant movement happening in Miami.

What started out as a dream from technology entrepreneur Manuel D. Medina has quickly drawn strong interest from large enterprises, startups and investors. Initial plans called for two days of activities, but the event has now grown into a weeklong celebration of innovation throughout the Americas hosted in Miami in collaboration with Techweek.

The lineup includes close to 100 high-powered speakers who will help lead summits on health, entertainment, technology and more, discussing topics relevant to our changing world, from “The Future of Banks & Consumer Privacy” to “Wellness & Well-being” to “Gaming in Latin America” and “The Future of Content.” Developers, tech lovers and gamers will compete in a hackathon for $50,000 in prizes for ideas that impact the gaming industry, and entrepreneurs will put their best pitches forward in the eMerge Techweek Launch Competition to vie for funding and exposure.

The evening also included the introduction of the eMerge Americas Techweek publicity video, which highlights the distinctions between the eMerge movement and the typical technology conference.

We’re building tremendous momentum for the technology ecosystem in Miami and the Americas. The eMerge Americas movement has officially begun, and the significance of this gathering will show in the impact that it is already having on South Florida and the entire Americas region.

For more information about eMerge Americas Techweek to register or to apply for the eMerge Techweek Launch Competition, visit www.emergeamericas.org.

eMerge Americas Techweek global partners include IBM, JP Morgan Chase, Univision and Cisco. They join founding partners Knight Foundation, Greenberg Traurig, P.A., Medina Capital and Miami-Dade County.