Miami-Dade Innovation Authority

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Miami-Dade Innovation Authority

MDIA transforms how municipalities pilot, procure, and scale emerging technology.

05/13/2026

MDIA is excited to welcome Jordan De Leon as our new Senior Manager of Public Challenges in Miami.

Jordan joins the team with a passion for public innovation, urban design, and creating solutions that improve the quality of life at scale. His interest in the intersection of the public and private sectors, combined with his commitment to community impact, reflects the collaborative approach that drives MDIA’s work.

Get to know Jordan:

Favorite book?
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch and Jeffrey Zaslow. “I revisit it every year for perspective.”

Favorite country to visit?
The Netherlands. “I’m a huge fan of creative placemaking and complete streets, and I was blown away by the urban design there.”

Any fun hobbies you’d like to share?
Longboarding, disc golf, beach volleyball, and generally anything outdoors.

Why did you choose MDIA?
“I was drawn to MDIA because its work sits at such a fascinating intersection between the public and private sectors. More importantly, it gives me the unique opportunity to help improve the quality of life for my fellow residents at scale.”

Welcome to the team, Jordan.

05/11/2026

CoMotion Miami 2026 was a great opportunity to connect with leaders and innovators shaping the future of mobility. MDIA was honored to have our Pilots Manager, Riyaad Seecharan, join the conversation on “Ports, Platforms & Partnerships: Rethinking Urban Freight Systems.” The panel explored how cities, ports, public agencies, and logistics partners can work together to move goods more efficiently, reduce congestion, and support growing communities.

Thank you to CoMotion Miami for creating space for these important conversations and for bringing so many thoughtful voices together.

05/08/2026

A portfolio company within MDIA, Carbonwave, has announced a new partnership with the International Finance Corporation, part of the World Bank Group, to support the scale-up of its sargassum-based solutions.

The investment supports the development of a circular model that transforms excess sargassum into agricultural and biomaterial products, while addressing environmental and economic challenges across affected coastal regions.

Carbonwave is also a winner of MDIA’s Sargassum Challenge, where its approach was recognized for its potential to address a growing regional issue through innovation.

MDIA supports companies working at the intersection of climate, infrastructure, and economic resilience.

Learn more at mdia.miami.

05/06/2026

On February 24, MDIA, alongside the City Innovation Network, convened municipal leaders, government innovators, and civic partners for the Behind the Innovation Tour.

Through curated access to key infrastructure, including Miami International Airport and PortMiami, participants explored how innovation challenges are addressed within complex public systems that support regional growth and service delivery.

At the airport, the focus was on improving the passenger experience through accessibility, navigation, and sustainability. At the port, the Cargo Visibility Challenge examined AI-enabled solutions to strengthen tracking, coordination, and operational efficiency.

Together, these experiences provided a clearer understanding of how pilot-based innovation can support the evaluation and implementation of emerging technologies in real-world settings.

Watch the full video on MDIA’s YouTube channel to see how the experience comes together in practice.

05/04/2026

MDIA continues to engage leaders across sectors who are actively addressing complex environmental and community challenges. This week, we highlight Madeline Kaufman of Debris Free Oceans, whose work centers on reducing waste and advancing more sustainable systems.

In this reflection, Madeline emphasizes the importance of staying connected to MDIA’s work. With a wide range of active and upcoming challenges, MDIA creates opportunities for innovators, organizations, and community advocates to contribute to solutions that can be tested and implemented locally.

Her perspective reinforces the role that informed participation plays in strengthening public innovation. By remaining engaged, individuals and organizations can help identify and elevate solutions that respond directly to community needs.

Learn more about MDIA’s current and upcoming challenges at https://www.mdia.miami

04/30/2026

We were excited to join everyone at eMerge Americas 2026!

A special shout-out to Paul Griebel, who continues to connect the public sector with innovative solutions, strengthening a more dynamic and collaborative ecosystem.

Miami is a key hub of talent, capital, and technology, bringing leaders, entrepreneurs, and institutions into one shared conversation about the future.

We look forward to continuing to build connections that drive innovation forward and create real impact across communities.

04/29/2026

On April 14–15, 2026, leaders across government, technology, and industry convened in West Palm Beach for Tomorrow.City, a forum focused on the future of cities and the role of innovation in addressing complex public challenges.

Leigh-Ann Buchanan, President & CEO of the Miami-Dade Innovation Authority, moderated a conversation centered on how public institutions can respond to increasing demands with limited resources. The discussion highlighted how emerging technologies, agile approaches, and cross-sector collaboration are shaping more responsive and effective public systems.

Key themes included the importance of structured pilot programs, the value of public-private partnerships, and the need to align innovation efforts with real community needs. The session reinforced that innovation in the public sector is not only about new technology, but about creating pathways that connect ideas to implementation in a responsible and scalable way.

As cities continue to navigate challenges such as infrastructure, climate, and economic development, convenings like Tomorrow.City play an important role in facilitating dialogue, knowledge exchange, and collaboration across sectors.

Learn more about the event and its programming at tomorrowcity.us.

04/28/2026

Government effectiveness should be measured not only by intention but also by ex*****on, experience, and results.

Leigh-Ann Buchanan explores why public excellence offers a more useful framework for evaluating government performance. At the center of this perspective is a clear idea: trust is shaped by how well government delivers, how people experience public systems, and whether outcomes meaningfully improve daily life.

Based on When the Public Good Isn’t Good Enough: How Defining Public Excellence Improves Government Effectiveness by Leigh-Ann Buchanan, President and CEO of MDIA

04/27/2026

MDIA is proud to share this opportunity from the Knight Foundation, one of our founding funders. The Knight Cities Challenge is a $5 million open call inviting individuals and organizations across Knight’s 26 communities, including Miami-Dade County, to submit new ideas that can create lasting local impact. Selected projects may receive up to $200,000 in funding and are expected to be completed within one year. The opportunity is open to nonprofits, for-profits, individuals, universities, and governments. The project must take place in a Knight community and primarily benefit its residents.

Project ideas must focus on at least one of three areas: strengthening local news and information, creating pathways for economic opportunity, or cultivating connection through arts, culture, and the places that bring people together. Applications must be submitted by April 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Learn more and apply through link in bio.

04/23/2026

Miami’s growth as an innovation hub is driven by collaboration across public and private sectors working to address evolving urban challenges.

Events like CoMotion Miami create space for these conversations to move from concept to implementation, bringing together stakeholders focused on how mobility, infrastructure, and emerging technologies are integrated into city systems.

For MDIA, this partnership reflects its role in connecting innovation with public-sector priorities, ensuring solutions are aligned with real-world needs across Miami-Dade County.

For additional information on participation and registration, please refer to the link in bio.

04/22/2026

MDIA is proud to showcase the perspectives of leaders contributing to public innovation.

Today, we feature James Lopez, who shares his views on the role of innovation within the public sector. As cities continue to grow and evolve, innovation plays a critical role in enhancing how public systems operate, from infrastructure and urban planning to service delivery.

His reflection underscores the importance of developing solutions that not only improve efficiency but also respond to complex, real-world challenges in a way that supports long-term sustainability and quality of life.

This perspective aligns with MDIA’s commitment to fostering structured opportunities that connect innovators with public sector needs and priorities.

Learn more about MDIA’s work at mdia.miami.

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https://linktr.ee/mdiamiami

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