News and event updates originally shared in September 2025.
🚀 Silicon Beach at UNF: A Night to Remember
Last night’s Silicon Beach Pitch Event at the University of North Florida was nothing short of amazing. Huge thanks to the UNF Coggin College of Business for hosting, and to the students and community who showed up to champion innovation and entrepreneurship in Jacksonville.
💡 Founders Who Pitched
We had eight outstanding founders share their vision:
- Spatially Health
- NextSat
- Roll & Glow
- CoachAir
- PackageJS
- VisionCore
- McFlamingo’s (local restaurateur + founder)
- Motos.Chat — a surprise last-minute entry from Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic 🌎
🏆 Judge Highlights
- VisionCore – Immediately Investable
- NextSat – Potential Unicorn
- Motos.Chat – Potential for Immediate Impact
📊 Event Snapshot
- 120+ in person, 40+ on Zoom
- “Ask the Angel” with Michael Maszy (Band of Angels) sparked a strong founder–investor Q&A
- Big applause for Steven Bowers, Silicon Beach alum, for winning the Jax Tech Fest disruptIT Jacksonville Venture Competition (JVC)
Even after the program ended, dozens stayed to network and keep building—exactly what this community is about.
We were thrilled and honored to have Silicon Beach participate in the Orlando Magic Venture Challenge, with the semi-final round hosted at the University of North Florida’s Coggin College of Business.
Huge congratulations to Sydney Bryant, Emily Guenter, and Janelly Ceopa, who won the UNF Blackstone Launchpad/Orlando Magic Innovation Challenge and took 3rd place in the State Finals, while working directly with Magic management to elevate fan experiences.
This achievement is a standout example of the hands-on, experiential learning that defines the Blackstone Launchpad, Coggin College of Business, and UNF.
Sydney Bryant, Emily Guenter, and Janelly Ceopa
We’re honored to be nominated for the PS27 Ventures Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Builder of the Year Award.
It’s been an incredible journey working with founders, innovators, and community leaders across Florida—especially through Silicon-Beach.ai—to help startups grow and bring their visions to life.
I’m deeply grateful to everyone who’s collaborated, shared ideas, and helped build a stronger innovation community here in Jacksonville and beyond.
A huge thank you to PS27 Ventures for the recognition—and best of luck to all the amazing finalists! This nomination only strengthens our commitment to supporting and growing this vibrant ecosystem.