Miami wants to catch the 'silicon beach' wave
By Bridget Carey | Miami Herald
There has been quite a bit of bellyaching coming out of some recent South Florida tech networking meetings. It sounds like this:
The government needs to do more to lure tech firms here.
The education system doesn't do enough to cultivate tech talent.
There needs to be more communication between companies spread out in the tri-county area.
It's the same sad tune the South Florida tech community has been spouting for at least two decades. But in the past few months, new faces have been doing the complaining.
And there are many more tech groups to complain to:
There's Refresh Miami. InternetCoast. South Florida Tech Alliance. Social Media Club South Florida. MobileMonday Miami. Florida 2.0. ITFlorida. ITWomen. Women In Technology International. Tech Tuesday. South Florida Interactive Marketing Association. South Florida WordPress Meetup. South Florida iPhone Meetup. Miami Ruby Brigade. Or even the yet-to-pick-a-name group in Boca Raton, which goes by ``New Tech Community.''
That's not counting technology committees at chambers of commerce and in enterprise groups. And if you count Tweetups -- in-person networking for social media junkies -- then add another three random tech-ish meetings to the calendar each week.
Even the fact that there are too many tech groups is a complaint.
``The tech community is starting to dilute itself,'' said Craig Agranoff, co-founder of Boca Raton-based VOIS.com, a social network for finding talent and getting projects done. ``There are too many meetings.''
All the frustration -- and the increase of tech groups -- boils down to one purpose: To create a stronger technology ecosystem, so that South Florida can finally get the Silicon Beach label it's been after for decades.
Read the complete story at miamiherald.com
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