Miami-Dade Innovation Authority

What Miami-Dade Innovation Authority does

Miami-Dade Innovation Authority (MDIA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in January 2023 as the first Public Innovation Authority in the United States. It is headquartered in Miami-Dade County, Florida and operates as an intermediary between global early-to-growth stage technology startups and Miami-Dade County government departments. Through its signature Public Innovation Challenge program, MDIA runs themed open competitions—covering Sargassum seaweed repurposing, airport passenger experience, port cargo visibility, transportation visibility, solid waste diversion, housing access, emergency management, and water operations—that source technology solutions from applicants in 40+ countries. Each challenge selects at least three winners who receive $100,000 equity investments via Y Combinator post-money uncapped SAFE notes with MFN provisions, then conduct 3–12 month facilitated pilots with county departments such as Miami International Airport, PortMiami, the Water and Sewer Department, and the Department of Transportation and Public Works.

The organization was capitalized at launch with $9 million in equal seed contributions from Miami-Dade County, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and Citadel founder Ken Griffin. Its proprietary asset is not a software product but a codified open-innovation methodology: an 8–10 week multi-stage evaluation process with subject-matter experts and investor-led selection committees, followed by structured pilot facilitation. The methodology reportedly reduces government procurement cycle time from 18 months to 6 months or less (a 67% reduction) and yields application response rates 17x higher than traditional RFPs. MDIA uses AI-assisted note-taking during finalist interviews and has demonstrated outcomes including 440+ sourced solutions, 15 pilots deployed across 5 challenges, 14 concurrent active pilots, and a portfolio collectively representing $6.5B+ in revenue, $2B raised, and 44,000+ employees.

MDIA's go-to-market is event-driven: each themed challenge generates global deal flow through its website and application portal (apply.mdia.miami), with no application fee and equal evaluation of all submissions. Distribution channels include earned media (Bloomberg Cities, NASDAQ, Harvard Business School, Government Technology, IEDC, Morningstar), an MDIA Insights blog on Medium, an email newsletter, and community partnerships with Refresh Miami and South Florida Tech Hub. The forward-looking business model contemplates national market expansion through execution fees, capital partnerships, and subsidy funding for new Public Innovation Authority launches in other municipalities—positioning the model as a replicable franchise for municipal technology procurement reform.

Name

Miami-Dade Innovation Authority

Legal name

Miami-Dade Innovation Authority, Inc.

Website

https://mdia.miami

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Miami-Dade Innovation Authority is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs themed Public Innovation Challenges to source global startup technology solutions and fund $100,000 equity investments per winner for pilot deployments with Miami-Dade County government departments, reducing procurement cycle times by 67%.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Innovation Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) (BPADACAA)

Keywords

• Public innovation challenges
• Government technology procurement
• Startup equity investment
• Municipal technology pilots
• Open innovation platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Miami

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Nonprofit — Grant and Donation Funded: MDIA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization funded by equal contributions from Miami-Dade County, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and Citadel founder and CEO Ken Griffin — totaling $9 million in seed funding at launch in 2023. Additional revenue may come from national market expansion execution fees, capital partnerships, and subsidy funding for new Public Innovation Authority launches in other municipalities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

MDIA operates the Public Innovation Challenge program, a pilot-based open innovation model that sources technology solutions from early-to-growth stage companies, invests $100,000 in each selected winner via a Y Combinator post-money uncapped SAFE note, and facilitates 3–12 month pilots with Miami-Dade County departments. The organization runs themed challenges covering sargassum repurposing, airport passenger experience, port cargo visibility, transportation, solid waste, emergency management, housing, and water operations, reducing procurement cycle time by 67% compared to traditional RFPs.

Product overview

Miami-Dade Innovation Authority (MDIA) operates the Public Innovation Challenge as its core program—a pilot-based open innovation platform that connects early-to-growth stage technology companies with Miami-Dade County departments to test and validate solutions addressing pressing public challenges. The platform has run nine Public Innovation Challenges covering Sargassum (seaweed repurposing), Airport Passenger Experience, PortMiami Cargo Visibility, Transportation Visibility, Solid Waste Diversion, Housing Access, Emergency Management, and Water Operations. Each challenge selects at least three winners receiving $100,000 equity investments to conduct pilots with county agencies, de-risking procurement while accelerating technology adoption. MDIA acts as intermediary infrastructure, not a software product itself—the portfolio includes portfolio companies like RouteMe (AI navigation), Signapse (generative AI for accessibility), Mapsted (wayfinding), and CarbonWave (sargassum-based biomaterials).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Public Innovation Challenge Program MDIA's flagship open innovation program that sources technology solutions from early-to-growth stage companies to address pressing public challenges in Miami-Dade County. Each challenge selects at least three winners receiving $100,000 equity investments to pilot their solutions with county departments. The program reduces procurement cycle times by 67% (from 18 months to 6 months) and achieves 17x the application response rate of traditional RFPs.
• Public Innovation Challenge No. 1 - Sargassum Inaugural challenge seeking novel and sustainable solutions for repurposing Sargassum seaweed. Selected winners (Chemergy, Algas Organics, X-Met, CarbonWave) received $100,000 investments each to develop biofuels, fertilizers, building materials, and cosmetic ingredients from seaweed.
• Public Innovation Challenge No. 2 - Airport Passenger Experience Challenge focused on improving passenger experience at Miami International Airport in accessibility, navigation, and sustainability. Winners RouteMe (AI navigation), Signapse (AI sign language translation), and Mapsted (accessibility wayfinding) received $100,000 investments each.
• Public Innovation Challenge No. 3 - PortMiami Cargo Visibility Challenge focused on enhancing cargo visibility and management at PortMiami, Miami-Dade County's economic engine generating $31.9 billion in annual business revenue.
• Public Innovation Challenge No. 4 - Transportation Visibility Challenge seeking solutions leveraging sensors, cameras, spatial and traffic data aggregators, predictive analytics, AI, and machine learning to enhance traffic visibility and management across roads, sidewalks, and public spaces during high-demand events. Finalists include GridMatrix, Ironyun, and Axon Vibe.
• Public Innovation Challenge No. 5 - Solid Waste Diversion Challenge focused on reducing landfill waste by 40% through innovative waste processing, organic soil blends, and resident education technologies. Grantees include Clean Earth Innovations (biochar production at South Dade Landfill) and Scrapp (recycling guidance app for Miami-Dade residents).
• Public Innovation Challenge No. 6 - Housing Access Challenge focused on streamlining housing access and improving resident experience through technology solutions that reduce housing supply costs, expand capital access, improve risk-prediction, supply projection, and ease program administration for affordable housing.
• Public Innovation Challenge No. 7 - Emergency Management Challenge focused on strengthening emergency response capabilities and community resilience, seeking solutions for Miami-Dade's 2.7 million residents and 28 million annual visitors. Collaborators include Big City Emergency Managers, FIU, and Miami-Dade's Department of Emergency Management.
• Public Innovation Challenge No. 8 - Water Operations Challenge focused on optimizing water and sewer operations, seeking solutions for FOG (fats, oils, grease) conversion, wastewater byproduct recovery, digital planning tools, and data management systems. Part of an $8.9 billion Capital Improvement Program for WASD, serving nearly 3 million residents across 14,000+ miles of pipelines.

Quantifiable outcome

• 67% reduction in procurement cycle time from 18 months to 6 months or less
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability8 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered major and supporting.

• The Nature Conservancy (TNC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerServed as subject matter expert convener for the Sargassum Challenge (Challenge 1), supporting evaluation and selection of winning companies. TNC is a global conservation organization working in 76 countries to create world where people and nature can thrive.
• Miami International Airport (MIA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChallenge 2 host for the Airport Passenger Experience challenge. MIA is America's busiest airport for international freight, second busiest for international passengers, and serves 50.7 million passengers annually. MDIA invested $100,000 in each of three winning companies to pilot solutions at MIA.
• PortMiamimajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChallenge 3 host for the Cargo Visibility challenge, aimed at enhancing visibility and management at the port. Challenge winners were announced in May 2025.
• Miami-Dade Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChallenge 4 host for the Transportation Visibility challenge, seeking AI, sensor, and traffic data solutions. DTPW operates Florida's largest transit system (15th nationally) with 27.5 million annual miles of Metrobus service.
• Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (WASD)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChallenge 8 host for the Water Operations optimization challenge. WASD serves nearly 3 million residents across 14,000+ miles of pipelines, six treatment plants, and 1,000+ pump stations, with an $8.9 billion Capital Improvement Program underway.
• CoMotionsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnlisted as a subject matter expert for the Transportation Visibility challenge. CoMotion is a global platform dedicated to multimodal mobility, bringing insights and experience to the transportation challenge evaluation.
• Transit Alliance MiamisupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnlisted as a subject matter expert for the Transportation Visibility challenge. Transit Alliance Miami is a nonprofit advocating for walkable streets, bikeable neighborhoods, and better public transit.
• Water Environment Federation (WEF)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerChallenge 8 collaborator for the Water Operations challenge, providing subject matter expertise in water and wastewater management alongside WEF's network of water quality professionals.
• Florida Water Environment Association (FWEA)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerChallenge 8 collaborator for the Water Operations challenge, contributing expertise in water and environmental management for the state of Florida.
• Florida International University (FIU) — Department of Civil & Environmental EngineeringsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerChallenge 8 collaborator for the Water Operations challenge, providing academic and engineering expertise through FIU's Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering.
• Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental Resource Management (DERM)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerChallenge 8 collaborator for the Water Operations challenge, providing environmental regulatory and management expertise for Miami-Dade County.
• Big City Emergency ManagerssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerChallenge 7 collaborator (Emergency Management challenge), providing emergency management expertise alongside Miami-Dade's Department of Emergency Management.
• Miami-Dade County Office of Innovation and Economic Development (OIED)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOIED is a key government partner for MDIA across multiple challenges, responsible for building a future-ready Miami-Dade through equity, resilience, and innovation. Chief Innovation Officer Francesca de Quesada Covey has been a public champion of MDIA's model.
• Florida International University (FIU)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerChallenge 7 collaborator (Emergency Management challenge), bringing academic research and engineering expertise to support emergency response technology evaluation.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Code for America: U.S. nonprofit using technology and pro bono talent to modernize government services, including procurement, benefits access, and criminal justice — comparable nonprofit mission, government-customer base, and tech-enabled delivery model to MDIA.
• Nesta (UK): UK innovation foundation running challenge prizes, public-sector innovation programs, and social-impact investment — the closest international analogue to MDIA's challenge-plus-equity model with public-sector anchor customers.
• Bloomberg Philanthropies — What Works Cities: Bloomberg-funded program helping U.S. cities use data and evidence to improve services — operates in the same 'public-sector innovation intermediary' space as MDIA, with municipal customers and documented outcome metrics.

Broad incumbents

• Plug and Play Tech Centers: Large global innovation platform running corporate-startup accelerator programs, including mobility, sustainability, and smart-city verticals — comparable 'challenge-based startup sourcing' infrastructure model to MDIA, but at much broader scale and corporate-funded.
• Techstars: Global accelerator network investing in startups across multiple verticals including civic tech, smart cities, and sustainability — comparable in operating accelerator-style investment programs with structured selection and follow-on support, but at much larger scale and for-profit.
• Y Combinator: The SAFE-note originator and largest global startup accelerator — directly comparable to MDIA on instrument (post-money uncapped SAFE with MFN) and on early-stage startup sourcing/screening playbook, but at vastly greater scale.
• Smart Cities Council: Industry coalition advising cities on smart-city technology adoption across mobility, sustainability, and resilience — overlaps with MDIA's Risk/Resilience, Mobility, and Digital Services segments and serves the same municipal buyer.
• Government Technology (e.Republic): Media and events company serving the state and local government technology market — not a direct competitor but a channel and industry convening peer that covers the same buyer audience MDIA serves with its newsletter, Medium content, and challenge marketing.

Emerging players

• 1871 Chicago: Chicago-based nonprofit innovation hub and startup incubator, recently reorganized around AI and corporate-innovation programs — comparable nonprofit-intermediary structure supporting corporate, civic, and startup engagement in a major U.S. metro.
• The GovLab (NYU): NYU-affiliated research center focused on improving the capacity of institutions to govern through new technology — comparable academic-adjacent, mission-driven approach to public-sector innovation, though research rather than direct investment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mdiamiami

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments17 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Miami-Dade Innovation Authority