Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Miami Innovation Academy
🔔 Applications are now closed. The application window for the 2026 cohort closed on February 20.
A highly selective fellowship for Miami’s most driven early-stage founders.
Now in its third year, the Miami Innovation Academy is a selective fellowship for early-stage startups in Miami. Each cohort brings together just 25–30 founders, creating an intimate, high-caliber environment where real progress happens.
7
Weeks of Programming
50+
Alumni Ventures
~$180M
Raised Collectively
Program Details
Supported by JPMorgan Chase, the Miami Innovation Academy (MIA) is a 7-week, immersive fellowship program designed to accelerate the growth of the most promising early-stage Miami startups. Our mission is to provide founders with the resources, mentorship, and network necessary to scale their ventures from seed to Series A.
Through expert-led workshops and one-on-one mentorship, participants gain direct access to industry leaders, investors, and a powerful peer network. The program is focused on what it takes to grow: fundraising strategy, scaling operations, organizational excellence, and founder leadership. The program culminates in a Demo Day where participants pitch to a curated audience of investors and ecosystem leaders.
MIA is designed for seed-stage ventures with an MVP that are positioned for growth and scaling.
BeMe Health has raised $27.2 million for its teen mental health platform, with a $12.5M round led by Flare Capital and Polaris Partners. They’ve partnered with major health plans including Molina Healthcare in Florida and California, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas (Yahoo Finance). Their partnership with BCBSKS extends mental health support to an estimated 20,000 teenagers across Kansas (Business Wire). Nicki was recognized on Inc.’s Female Founders 200, and the company published peer-reviewed research with Stanford examining 13,000 teens.
— BeMe Health (MIA Cohort 1), Nicki Tessler
Notable speakers and mentors include:
Delian Asparouhov
Co-Founder of Varda, Partner at Founders Fund
Derick Duchodni
Managing Director, JPMorgan Chase
Asher Genoot
Founder, Hut 8
Ruben Harris
Founder & CEO, OutRival (YC ’19)
Joey Levy
Founder & CEO, Betr
Chester Ng
General Partner, Atomic
John Rodgers
CEO, Haddy
Notable Alumni Ventures
Our founders are building high-impact companies backed by leading VCs:
Expected Commitment
Participants should be prepared to dedicate the following each week:
- Every Tuesday: 2-Hour In-Person Session — Live sessions with speakers, mentors, and cohort peers with select hybrid/virtual meet-ups throughout the week to maximize networking opportunities.
- Self-Directed Work — Beyond weekly sessions, participants are expected to independently manage their time to complete assignments, projects, and program deliverables.
- Location — In-person at the Northeastern University Miami Campus.
- Full 7-Week Attendance — Participants are expected to attend all weekly sessions for the duration of the program.
