1
Varonis, which employs 2,400, moves HQ to Miami
Varonis, a publicly traded data security company recently based in New York, has moved its headquarters to Miami, the South Florida Business Journal reported.
The company will be housed in 17,900 square feet of space on the entire 11th floor of the 28-story 801 Brickell in Miami’s Brickell Financial District, and the office is still being built out. The company stated in a Feb. 6 filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission that the relocation would take place in the first quarter, however.
Founded in 2004, Varonis employs 2,400 people worldwide. It provides software to clients that automatically find, fix, and alert on security issues involving their data, whether that information is on the cloud, in SaaS applications, on the premises or a hybrid of “on-prem” and cloud. Read more here.
2
Miami ranks high for number of black-owned businesses
The Miami metro area has the 4th highest numberof Black-owned businesses in the country, according to a study by LendingTree. The Miami metro area has 9,161 Black-owned ventures, making up about 5% of the region’s businesses. It ranks No. 4 nationally for the number of Black business ownership but 32nd in the country by its percentage share of Black-owned ventures.
New York has the largest number of Black-owned businesses (16,199), followed by Atlanta (14,766), Washington DC (10,486) and Miami. But by the share of black-owned businesses, Atlanta is the country’s leader: 11.3% of the metro area’s companies have Black ownership.
Nationally, just 3.3% of U.S. businesses were Black-owned in 2022, up from 2.7% in 2021 and 2.4% in 2020; a quarter of the companies were healthcare-related. A significant 39.1% of Black-owned businesses across the U.S. are run by women — far higher than the 22.3% of all businesses run by women, according to the study, which uses 2023 Census data, the most recent available. Read more here.
3
Pudgy Penguins launching YouTube Series
Pudgy Penguins reports it is expanding into animation with the launch of “Lil Pudgys,” a new original YouTube series developed in collaboration with TheSoul Publishing. Premiering in Spring 2025 on Pudgy Penguin’s YouTube channel, “Lil Pudgys” will introduce fans to a new animated universe inspired by Pudgy Penguins’ Web3 IP. The series, designed for kids and families, follows the adventures of four penguin roommates — Atlas, Eureka, Snofia, and Springer — who live in UnderBerg, a hidden world deep inside an iceberg.
This expansion into animation is the latest move in the Miami-based Pudgy Penguins’ broader brand evolution. The company has successfully transitioned its Web3-native IP into consumer products, with Pudgy Toys generating over $10 million in retail sales and securing partnerships with major retailers like Walmart, Target, and Walgreens. “Lil Pudgys is another step in building a long-term entertainment brand that connects with fans everywhere,” said CEO Luca Netz.
4
Superlogic unveils experiences platform
Superlogic, a leader in experiential rewards technology, and Open Network Exchange, a leader in global travel and leisure-based commerce solutions, introduced Bookit, a next-gen platform that rewards consumers for booking coveted travel and entertainment experiences and purchasing premium retail products. Bookit provides access to VIP experiences, from front-row seats at major sporting events, to exclusive concerts, private wine tours, and five-star ski retreats.
Bookit’s AI-driven platform provides curated access to 2 million+ preferred hotel stays, cruises, flights, car rentals, and premium e-commerce brands worldwide – allowing members to earn unprecedented rewards. Bookit also offers members celebrity experiences, VIP dining, reserved ticketing to entertainment and sports events, and exclusive savings on retail brands. “Bookit is loyalty leveled up,” said Lin Dai, CEO & Co-Founder of Superlogic. “Together with Open Network Exchange, we give consumers rewards that truly matter and offer once-in-a-lifetime experiences along with the best of travel and retail.”
READ MORE: Superlogic secures $13.7M to redefine loyalty programs with experiences money can’t buy
5
Report: 35% of labor force will have exposure to AI
Nearly 35% of South Florida’s labor market will have exposure to generative artificial intelligence, according to a report from the Brookings Institution. Office jobs that pay above-average salaries are expected to be the most impacted.
The region is among several large U.S. metros that have significant exposure to the technology, a type of AI that can automatically create content such as text, images and videos based on the content it is trained on. Chatbots and tools such as ChatGPT are examples of generative AI.
“Our analysis suggests the [South Florida] region will be fairly highly involved with generative AI,” report author Mark Muro told the South Florida Business Journal.
Workers in high-skill metros such as San Francisco, San Jose, Washington, D.C. and New York City have the most involvement with generative AI. In San Jose, an estimated 43% of workers could find half or more of their work tasks modified by AI. Read more here.
6
eMerge Americas’ eGov Summit to feature Palmer Luckey
eMerge Americas along with Miami-Dade County are bringing back the eMerge Americas 2025 eGOV Summit at the eMerge Americas Conference + Expo March 27-28 at the Miami Beach Convention, a convening of public and private sector leaders to discuss and showcase innovative technologies and public-private partnerships transforming communities. This summit focuses on the intersection of defense, dual-use technologies, and public-private collaborations, emphasizing Florida’s pivotal role as a global hub for dual-use and defense innovation in critical areas like space technology, military innovation, veteran leadership, and more.
Palmer Luckey, the founder of Anduril Industries and Oculus VR, and Lieutenant General Edmond “Miles” Brown, the 3rd Deputy Commanding General for the Army Futures Command, headline the list of speakers at the 2025 eMerge Americas eGOV Summit. Luckey’s keynote will share his journey from developing VR technology in his garage, to founding Oculus VR and then transitioning into the defense sector with Anduril Industries. Lieutenant General Brown will share how Army Futures Command is accelerating problem solving at scale with the private sector.
7
Aerialoop wins significant contract
Aerialoop, a Miami-based startup that replaces expensive middle-mile delivery and warehouses with drone flight loops, reports that it has signed a contract with Newlab for a cutting-edge drone delivery project in Detroit. This initiative leverages its advanced drone technology to transform cargo transportation in one of the country’s key mobility hubs.
Newlab is a deep-tech innovation center based in Detroit’s Michigan Central district that is dedicated to advancing mobility, energy, and infrastructure solutions. The collaboration with Aerialoop aligns with Newlab’s mission to deploy next-generation logistics systems that enhance efficiency, sustainability, and accessibility in urban environments.
Aerialoop, founded in 2020, says this contract signifies an important milestone in Aerialoop’s U.S. expansion, as urban centers continue seeking faster, more sustainable delivery solutions.
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Where the tech jobs are
Boats Group – Head of Product Design
Crowded – Director of Customer Success
Exowatt – Power Systems Engineering Lead
Kandji – Director of Strategic Partnerships
Kandji – Engineering Manager, Device Compliance
Kandji – Sr Product Manager, Device Compliance
Millennium Management – Software Engineer – Data Platform
Millennium Management – Sr AI Engineer
Neocis – Sr Manager of Systems Engineering
ResQ – Sr Data Engineer
Spines – Illustrator & Designer Specialist
See more jobs here and subscribe to Refresh Miami’s jobs newsletter here.
PLUS
Opportunity knocks
- GET Champions Miami, run by Radical Partners, is an initiative that helps leaders create workplaces that attract, retain, and support diverse tech talent. This 4-month program is designed for forward-2thinking tech leaders to reshape their companies’ hiring, retention, and support systems for women, trans, and nonbinary employees, and offers free virtual training, exectuve coaching and invitations to hiring events for accessing top talent. Apply here by February 28.
- Endeavor Miami is accepting applications for its next ScaleUp Program. Apply for the ScaleUp program here. Endeavor Miami is also taking applications for two of its upcoming 2025 EndeavorLab programs for earlier state startups. Apply here by May 9th for the EndeavorLab Black Founders cohort and apply here by August 22 for the EndeavorLab Women Founders cohort.
- Applications for Florida Power & Light’s the next 35 Mules Accelerator Program opened on Feb 17th. If you’re a Pre-Seed to Series A startup looking for expert mentorship, $100K in no-equity funding, and access to top-tier coaching and VC connections, find our more and apply here by April 1.
ICYMI
Have news to report? Email Nancy Dahlberg at [email protected] and follow her on X @ndahlberg. Subscribe to Refresh Miami’s free weekly newsletter here featuring startup news, tech job opportunities and events. Thank you for supporting Refresh Miami.
