ClimateReady Tech Hub

Rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and exponentially growing energy demand pose generational threats to the global economy, human welfare, and national security. In response to these threats, innovative, affordable, and sustainable “climate technologies” are emerging, providing hope to increase community resilience and advance environmental justice.

South Florida is uniquely positioned to become the global leader – rapidly – in delivering these community-level climate technologies. Our exposure to weather and climate variations presents an existential threat, with more than $3.5T in assets exposed to sea-level rise inundation alone. Fortunately, multiple transformational technologies are ready to scale in South Florida, underpinned by a vibrant entrepreneurial class and ready workforce.

To fully realize this potential, the ClimateReady Tech Hub will catalyze the commercialization of community-level climate technologies into domestic and global markets. Led by Miami-Dade County, the Hub is joined by its Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact partners Broward, Monroe, and Palm Beach Counties, alongside partners with experienced institutions across academia, workforce development, entrepreneurship, manufacturing, and commercialization. This initiative will catapult the US into the global leader of home-grown climate technologies and ensure that opportunities to build this hub – and the benefits of these investments – are shared equitably, including among communities historically excluded from economic prosperity.

To realize its overall mission, the Climate Ready Tech Hub has selected three core technology areas as a near-term focus, coupled with ecosystem-wide capacity building that will enable global competitiveness, create 23,000 good paying jobs (mean salary of $83k), and add $41B to the regions GDP. These projects include:

• ClimateReady Infrastructure. Scaling technologies to protect built and natural environments in low-lying areas, specifically focusing on marginalized populations most affected by extreme weather events. It aims at the global $63B industry of advanced concrete building materials, such as ternary cement, that reduces emissions by 40%.
• ClimateReady Coasts. Expanding coastal product demonstration facilities along South Florida's coastline for green-gray artificial reef structures, seawalls, and breakwaters to provide consolidated validation services and assist companies in capturing additional market share. With support from the IUOE Local 487, this project will help create nearly 7,000 new jobs by 2034, including manufacturing, installer, 3D printing fabricators, and diver jobs.
• ClimateReady Energy Efficiencies. Demonstrating and validating affordable energy solutions tailored for subtropical climates, enhancing performance, sustainability, and reliability and ensuring access for marginalized populations. Targeting the $72B industry of next generation building energy management systems and HVAC systems designed for humid environments, in addition to the micro-grids and marine energy industries. 

To develop an ecosystem the hub will also:  

• Catalyzing ClimateReady Collaboration (Governance). Enhancing the capacity of regional governance within the climate and capital ecosystem to foster collaboration between government, climate justice advocates, startups, corporations, capital partners, and academia. 
• Policy Innovation & Entrepreneurship. Establishing greater connectivity with regulators and quad-county policies to accelerate climate technologies, focusing on overcoming governmental barriers to adoption by convening capital partners and providing technical assistance. 
• Equitable Workforce Development. We are committed to providing high-paying job opportunities to underserved populations, offering pathways to diverse groups towards upward mobility through certifications, training, and apprenticeships, supplemented with wrap-around services. Of the 23,000 jobs the Hub will create, we are targeting at least 15,100 to be occupied by underrepresented individuals.

To drive effective governance, the Hub has a Steering Committee chaired by regional innovation officer (RIO) Francesca de Quesada Covey and charged with broad oversight. The eight-member committee covers the tech verticals and ecosystem support needed to achieve the Hub-wide vision to build and scale globally competitive climate technologies that drive equitable outcomes: workforce development, policy innovation & entrepreneurship, climate tech (academic), climate tech (industry), equity & environmental justice, regional economic development, and national defense.  Miami-Dade County's Office of Innovation and Economic Development serves as the lead partner of the quad-county consortium.

The U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) Tech Hubs program was established under the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 and aims to strengthen U.S. economic and national security by making investments in regions across the country  that are poised to become globally competitive in the technologies and industries of the future. Each Tech Hub is built around a consortium of business, government, higher education, workforce, labor, and community organizations. South Florida’s consortium includes 60 members and partners. The Climate Ready Tech Hub has applied for Phase II implementation funding from the EDA to unlock up to $70M for the region.