The Launch Pad hosted its annual end-of-year celebration, and it was a great way to close out a year of innovation and hard work. We heard from our keynote speaker and UM Alum David Mullings, Sam, our director, and Provost Willy Prado. Provost Prado gave opening remarks for the event and then Sam took us through the Launch Pad’s impact report for the year. She highlighted the impact that The Launch Pad has made in the 2024-2025 academic year and how we were thrilled to support the launch of 240 new ventures this year.
During the awards portion of our celebration, eMerge Americas was presented with the Impact Award in recognition of their outstanding contributions and significant influence on the South Florida entrepreneurial ecosystem. The Collaboration Trailblazer award was presented to USTART with the Collaboration acknowledging their embodiment of unity and shared purpose in elevating our community through impactful partnerships. Furthermore, our keynote speaker, David Mullings, was recognized with the Innovative Leader Award for his constant pursuit of change and the embodiment of true leadership. Thank you, David, for sharing your valuable insights with us.
The event also showcased all the exciting activity going on within The Launch Pad, from our semester offerings like the MVP Showcase and the Hurricane Innovation Prize, to the engagement from students and alumni across various University of Miami schools. It’s been a year of growth, marked by successful client ventures and strong partnerships. We were inspired by the past year and are looking forward to another great year. Thank you to everyone who attended the event!
Watch the recap video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qd8lTNzm2Fw
