Dr. Susan Amat, Executive Director for GEN Accelerates at the Global Entrepreneurship Network, participated in the launch of RENEW305, the Miami-Dade County CEO Ambassador Program. The program is a broad-based economic development plan to restore and invigorate economic growth in the southern Florida county.

Amat leads GEN Accelerates, a program that strengthens and grows entrepreneurship ecosystems through educational efforts geared toward entrepreneurs, investors, mentors and other startup champions. 

The RENEW305 initiative aims to position the county for its post-pandemic future by attracting new businesses, scaling existing businesses, boosting venture capital investment in local startups and expanding workforce training opportunities for locals to ensure they can qualify for jobs in fast-growing sectors such as technology, aviation, and trade and logistics. 

"This is about building a global mindset and giving people international opportunities from the beginning," said Amat. She continued, "We have to make sure partnerships and opportunities are here, so people with big ideas can find customers and pilot opportunities and investors – instead of having to move somewhere else."

The economic development plan will also focus on reviving Miami-Dade's tourism and hospitality industries, which have struggled in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.

"We know the tourism and recreation industries are bedrocks of our economy, and we need to make sure we can restore them safely," said Mayor Levine Cava, adding that PortMiami alone employs more than 300,000 people.

While teaching at the University of Miami, she founded The Launch Pad, which was considered the top model in entrepreneurship education. Her program and platform were replicated throughout the United States as Blackstone LaunchPads in universities including USC, UCLA and Case Western Reserve University.

Amat was joined by a coalition of business and economic development officials such as: 

• Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, mayor of Miami-Dade County; 
• Manny Medina, CEO of Cyxtera;
• Marcelo Claure, COO of SoftBank Group; and
• Michael Finney, CEO of Miami-Dade Beacon Council.