South Florida has cemented itself as a startup ecosystem to watch across the nation.
And the region’s burgeoning cadre of young talent is part of that success story.
Miami Inno’s 2023 Inno Under 25 list is a roundup of professionals who are 25 years old or younger. The list includes entrepreneurs in their teens and 20s who are already making waves in the local tech economy as startup founders, CEOs, marketing executives and more.
Read more: Exclusive: Special section touts innovators 25 or younger
The honorees were chosen based on nominations and Miami Inno’s editorial selection process.
Congrats to these listmakers!
Matias Aviñó
Co-founder, YTeach
Age: 16
My work in 10 words or less: YTeach connects students for free academic support while building communities.
My origin story: Growing up, my mom would always ask me, ‘What did you do to help someone today?’ One day, I realized I could find a way to help many people every day, not just one. When I was 11, I had the idea for YTeach. I created a business plan, pitched it to my parents and then created an app-based platform to connect students with peers in their schools for tutoring. In exchange, tutors can earn community service hours for their time.
Accomplishments: Youngest person to display their company at the eMerge Americas conference. Participated in Endeavor Miami’s EndeavorLab cohort for LatinX founders.
By the time I’m 30: I will be a Formula 1 team principal.
Abe Dats
Head of marketing and investor relations, Doroni Aerospace
Age: 22
My work in 10 words or less: Use marketing and fundraising skills to bring Doroni into spotlight.
My origin story: At 17, I was working in e-commerce. I went to a trade show where I met an engineer making a reusable water bottle with UV technology that kept it clean. It was such a cool idea, and I ended up getting involved and finding an investor to fund its production. That started my career in entrepreneurship.
Accomplishments: I helped Doroni Aerospace, the maker of an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft for every consumer, raise $5 million from investors. The goal is to close $30 million by the end of the year.
Title of my future memoir: “Never Gave Up”
Rania Ishoof
Innovator in residence, Lab22c
Age: 17
My work in 10 words or less: I advise companies on go-to-market strategies and innovation.
My origin story: I attended a coding camp at the age of 8, which inspired me to think a lot more deeply about technology. This led me to becoming an active member at Code/Art, where I was first a student of the intersection of computer science and art, and eventually became an instructor for other young women in the field.
Accomplishments: During the pandemic, I heard repeatedly from my parents’ friends that there was a demand for tutors. At 13, I launched a virtual tutoring business called Rania’s Readiness Academy. I marketed the business through free social media and developed a clientele of parents who had children who needed some additional support on the fundamentals of reading and math. The business grew quickly, and that fueled my interest in entrepreneurship. I also proudly serve as president of my high school’s business club.
Title of my future memoir: “Rania Ishoof: GenZenius”
Nabeel Ishoof
Entrepreneur in residence, Lab22c
Age: 15
My work in 10 words or less: Advise companies with social reach and incorporation of emerging technologies.
My origin story: I went to a coding camp when I was 7 years old and became fascinated by emerging technologies from that early age. At that camp, I competed in a digital “capture the flag” exercise and won a paper wallet of dogecoin. Over the next eight years, I took the time to learn more about the intersection of business and technologies like blockchain and AI.
Accomplishments: When I was 13, I met two founders of digital assets company US Bitcoin Corp. in Miami. I expressed an interest in becoming part of their team in some capacity. I made a pitch deck and they brought me on as chief meme officer. At Lab22c, I bring my unique perspective from having built my own Gen Z social brand to help companies connect authentically with their customers.
By the time I’m 30: I will have co-founded my own fund alongside my sister, Rania, that invests in and helps found world-class companies.
NetKohen
Co-founder and CEO, LinkMe
Age: 23
My work in 10 words or less: Building the future of networking.
My origin story: My co-founder, Val Share, and I thought of LinkMe after we went to a meeting and had to exchange our Instagram, Snapchat, phone numbers and email with each promoter. It took about 15 minutes to do that with three people. After, we were inspired to find a better way.
Accomplishments: LinkMe is being used in over 180 countries. In 2023, over 7 million people used the LinkMe platform, and we have reached No. 17 on the U.S. app store charts for social networking. LinkMe has raised over $3 million since inception.
Title of my future memoir: “Blessed to be a Nerd”
Sixtus Kuudaar
Co-founder, Ciya
Age: 25
My work in 10 words or less: Using technology to democratize access to real estate.
My origin story: The process of searching for a place to rent or buy for the first time is always stressful. As an immigrant coming to the U.S. for the first time, the experience was horrible. Everybody deserves to find a home with ease and peace, so I decided to build Ciya, a simple one-stop shop for real estate.
Accomplishments: I helped lead the Ciya team to win pitch competitions hosted by Florida State University and TechCrunch. We raised an undisclosed amount to build the company and participated in Endeavor Miami’s EndeavorLab program over the summer.
By the time I’m 30: Finding a place should be simple, affordable and stress-free for millions of people across the country.
Megan Nyvold
Head of brand and PR, BingX
Age: 25
My work in 10 words or less: Building the future of finance for the ever-growing digital economy.
My origin story: I was introduced to the world of cryptocurrency and the concept of borderless money movement while working at the Western Union global headquarters in 2018. My passion from that moment has always been teaching others the power of a permissionless global financial system without the gauche and unnecessary ornamentation typically associated with “getting rich” in crypto. I joined BingX because I aligned with their mission of onboarding new crypto users and educating them by providing a variety of resources for novice traders.
Accomplishments: Contributing writer to Cointelegraph and the Innovation Circle. Speaker at the European Blockchain Convention, ETH Denver, Miami NFT Week, Stanford Blockchain Week and Crypto Female Summit. Advisor to Nutrios Protocol, an AI and blockchain-powered food ecosystem.
Title of my future memoir: “Crypto Crumbs & Culinary Codes: My Life in Bits and Bytes”
Aman Sharma
Co-founder and CTO, Dinnerfy
Age: 25
My work in 10 words or less: We use AI for meal planning and grocery delivery.
My origin story: I founded the freelance agency Atlancey while pursuing a degree at the Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra. After that, I joined the hotel AI company Upsell.ai as a founding engineer. In 2022, I joined Entrepreneur First Singapore and met Charles Whiteman to co-found Dinnerfy.
Accomplishments: Winner of India’s National Startup Award. Named one of CEO Insights magazine’s Top 10 most inspirational CTOs in 2020 and among Prime View Magazine’s Top 10 most influential business leaders in 2021.
By the time I’m 30: I will lead a Fortune-level company and will have helped transform the lives of 30 less fortunate individuals.
Jason Shatsky
Co-founder and CEO, TicketRev
Age: 25
My work in 10 words or less: Help fans name their own ticket price for live events.
My origin story: I started my first business at 12 years old and have loved entrepreneurship since. As an avid sports fan and concertgoer, I’ve always hated the process of buying tickets and am building TicketRev to combat how I and millions of other fans feel.
Accomplishments: On Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Miami list in 2023. This year, Boca Raton-based TicketRev closed a $1.1 million pre-seed funding round that was supported by investors such as Techstars and the Minnesota Twins.
Title of my future memoir: “Rejection to Resilience: Shatsky’s Entrepreneurial Journey”
Bennett Thompson
CMO, Inferred Mind
Age: 23
My work in 10 words or less: Navigate tech landscapes, harness data, foster innovation and drive growth.
My origin story: I grew up in the suburbs just outside of Columbus, Ohio, but felt limited by the boundaries of the area. My passion for entrepreneurship, driven by innovation, propelled me forward. My journey began with reselling streetwear and sneakers. In 2020, I started at Northeastern University. I ended up pausing my studies to pursue my passion for innovation and co-founded and exited an education technology startup.
Accomplishments: Co-founded the Northeastern Blockchain Organization, one of the largest student organizations on campus. I also act as an advisor to multiple Web3 companies.
By the time I’m 30: I will launch a scholarship program with Northeastern University to enable students to continue their studies while pursuing a full-time venture.
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