UGLY TALK: BUILDING AND SCALING TECH COMPANIES IN MIAMI
Miami isn’t just about sun and sand, it’s becoming a serious launchpad for tech. But let’s be real: scaling a company here comes with its own unique set of challenges. This Ugly Talk gets into the real stories from successful founders who’ve built tech companies from the ground up in Miami, or brought their companies here from other hubs. They’ll talk about what held them back, what pushed them forward, and how they turned local challenges into global wins.
🎯 Why You Should Attend
Battle-tested insights from successful founders (not recycled advice).
Practical, actionable strategies you can apply immediately.
Real stories of overcoming local challenges unique to Miami’s tech ecosystem.
Valuable connections with other early-stage founders and active investors.
Direct, candid discussions you won’t find on LinkedIn, podcasts, or blogs.
🙋 Who You’ll Meet
Early-stage founders building the next wave of tech in southwest Florida.
Angel investors and ecosystem builders.
Builders looking for co-founders, and collaborators
Ecosystem enablers that support the tech community in southwest Florida
🎤 Who’s on the Panel
Guillermo Gonzalez Aleman - Founder & CEO of Litebox
Guillermo Gonzalez is the founder of Litebox.ai, a growth agency helping startups—especially in dev tools and high-tech—scale through branding, websites, and advanced growth strategies. Originally from Argentina and now based in Miami, he has over a decade of experience building products and guiding startups through fast-paced environments.
Bogdan Savonea - Co-founder & CEO of Blindspot
Michael Diesu - Co-founder & CEO of Tie
💬 What We’ll Talk About
What makes scaling from Miami different from places like NYC or Silicon Valley
What real disadvantages founders here face—and how to punch through them
What hidden advantages Miami founders are starting to realize
How to build strong networks, hire smart, and raise capital in this region
And of course—the stuff no one wants to admit: the hard parts, the missed shots, the ugly truths
🤝 Partner Brand
Blindspot - We’re the industry oddballs. We’re also the guys who turned a billboard into the #1 most popular Reddit post of all time.
🤝 Co-Hosted With
Mana Tech - At Mana Tech, our mission is to transform Miami into the ultimate hub for entrepreneurship across the Americas. From the heart of Downtown, Mana Tech is building the infrastructure of innovation that fuels this vision — connecting world-class entrepreneurs with capital, mentorship, and market access in a city positioned to lead the next era of hemispheric growth.
Miami Downtown Development Authority – Enhancing downtown Miami’s economic vitality through strategic initiatives.
🤝 Supported By:
GREY Journal – Media partner spotlighting modern entrepreneurs (Apple News + Google News)
🤝 Venue Partner
Mana Tech - At Mana Tech, our mission is to transform Miami into the ultimate hub for entrepreneurship across the Americas. From the heart of Downtown, Mana Tech is building the infrastructure of innovation that fuels this vision — connecting world-class entrepreneurs with capital, mentorship, and market access in a city positioned to lead the next era of hemispheric growth.
🎥 Get a taste of past Ugly Talk energy:
• Official Website
• 2024 Video Recap
⭐ About Ugly Talk:
Started in 2019, Ugly Talk has been transforming business setbacks into breakthrough “aha!” moments by hosting unfiltered, no-nonsense events where battle-tested entrepreneurs share their raw lessons and insights.
With a growing presence in cities like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Miami, we’ve built a vibrant community of thousands of founders and industry leaders making a profound impact on the entrepreneurial landscape.