StartUP FIU Food
Supporting Miami’s food entrepreneurs to build and grow successful, long lasting companies.
Learn more about our program:
Supporting Miami’s food entrepreneurs to build and grow successful, long lasting companies.
Learn more about our program:
The world is becoming increasingly specialized and this holds true for pre-accelerators and accelerators. StartUP FIU Food is a domain-specific, industry-focused incubator that serves local, small food and beverage business owners that want to grow and scale their companies. The Chaplin School of Tourism and Hospitality partners with StartUP FIU to bring world-class expertise and practical knowledge about every aspect of the food and beverage industry—from recipe development to packaging design and regulatory requirements—to the participating business owners. The industry focus is complemented with a full range of training in entrepreneurship and small business management. StartUP FIU Food was launched & supported by a $500,000 grant from the Citi Foundation, which supported business owners who are most in need of additional resources and training.
StartUP FIU Food Incubator is a cooperative effort with the Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management to leverage a state of the art commercial kitchen to develop food entrepreneurs.
This program is not limited to FIU students or alumni.
StartUP FIU Food has developed a new initiative called StartUP FIU Food On Demand. As part of this initiative, our F.E.E.D Membership presents an all-new Restaurant Virtual Bootcamp. This bootcamp sponsored by Wells Fargo will offer free online consulting sessions, weekly online Zoom webinars, group mentor sessions, and online networking sessions to hospitality employees most affected by closures and layoffs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
This program is not limited to FIU students or alumni.
In Spring of 2018, StartUP FIU Food will offer a 3-month non-degree certificate program in Finance or Marketing & Branding for local food entrepreneurs. You’ll gain industry-specific business training and have access to a full range of resources.
“In this program hands-on, practical techniques are used to better understand today’s food customer and apply this knowledge to scale a sustainable business.”
-Anna Etienne, Director, StartUP FIU Food
Mentors are a critical success factor for any program to accelerate the growth of a business. Their experience and advice saves time, energy and capital for busy entrepreneurs. StartUP FIU Food prides itself on its mentors, many of whom manage some of the most well known companies in Miami.
“When you risk it all, it’s like burning your safety net…and there is nothing there to catch you if you fail. High risk, high reward.”
-Letty Alvarez, StartUP FIU Food Mentor, CEO of LA Sweetz
“When you risk it all, it’s like burning your safety net…and there is nothing there to catch you if you fail. High risk, high reward.”
-Letty Alvarez, StartUP FIU Food Mentor, CEO of LA Sweetz
MKR Media Lab
Misha’s Cupcake
The Henderson Financial Group
Consultant GIL de Luna LLC
Half Moon Empanadas
Chef Allen’s Consulting
Chef Vicky
Merrill Lynch
Flourish Media
Brain Freeze Nitrogen Ice Cream & Yogurt Lab
Lulu’s Ice Cream
The Piping Gourmets
LA Sweetz
Zak the Baker
Panther Coffee
Jurado & Farshchian
Trade Marketing Consultant
South Florida Food & Beverage Association
The Creative Complex
Kendu In-Store Visual Solutions
GREENIE TOTS, ESHECONSULTING
Natural Sins Co
Uncommon Marketing
LDEi Miami
Energy Kitchen
Clio Snacks
Sushi Maki
Pubelly Restaurant Group
My Ceviche & Laffa Mediterranean Kitchen
I Mac and Cheese
SomeDay Consulting
Fooq’s Miami
If you’d like to set up time to speak with someone from the StartUP FIU Food program, or receive more information please feel free to send us a message and we will get back to you at our earliest convenience.