Key Takeaways
- • The Miami Finance Forum and Florida Venture Forum will jointly host the 2026 Venture Capital Summit on Thursday, November 12, from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. at DUA Miami in Brickell, with attendance expected to exceed 200 versus roughly 180 at the prior edition.
- • The summit panel, moderated by Richard Montes de Oca, features Nate DaPore (Roo Capital), Junior Gaspard (Fulcrum Equity Partners), Dana Sadovnic Hamaui (Radian Capital) and Jonathan Kilman (Govo Venture Partners), and will address valuations, access to capital and new investment prospects.
- • Registration costs $75 for MFF members, $105 for non-members and $50 for eligible startup founders; Buchanan is the main sponsor.
- • The Miami Makers Market & Small Business Expo runs November 20-22 at the Mana Wynwood Convention Center, but the organizer's Gmail contact and absence from the venue's official fall 2026 schedule warrant verification before paying any fees.
- • Small Business Saturday falls on November 28, with American Express offering a $5 million Shop Small grant program for 2026.
Summary
The Miami Finance Forum (MFF) and the Florida Venture Forum (FVF) are jointly hosting the 2026 Venture Capital Summit on Thursday, November 12, from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. at DUA Miami (Autograph Collection), George Ballroom, 1300 South Miami Avenue, in Brickell. The event expects more than 200 attendees, including venture capital investors, entrepreneurs, family offices and financial professionals, compared with about 180 at the previous edition. The evening opens with a networking reception, followed by a panel moderated by Richard Montes de Oca, shareholder at Buchanan and president of the MFF. The panelists are Nate DaPore, founder and general partner of Roo Capital; Junior Gaspard, principal of Fulcrum Equity Partners; Dana Sadovnic Hamaui, principal of Radian Capital; and Jonathan Kilman, general partner of Govo Venture Partners. Montes de Oca said the discussion will examine valuations, access to capital and prospects for new investments from the investor's perspective. Registration is $75 for MFF members, $105 for non-members and $50 for eligible startup founders, through the official MFF portal. Buchanan is the main sponsor. Kevin Burgoyne, president and CEO of the Florida Venture Forum, said that "Florida has become one of the most dynamic markets in the country for venture capital and entrepreneurship."
The Miami Makers Market & Small Business Expo, organized by Greenway Arts Alliances, runs Friday, November 20 through Sunday, November 22, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Mana Wynwood Convention Center, 318 NW 23rd Street. Admission for the public is free. The three-day in-person market is intended to bring together artisans, local manufacturers, specialty food vendors and small businesses. The article cautions vendors that the exhibitor-space contact uses a personal Gmail account and that the event does not appear on the venue's official fall 2026 schedule, advising them to verify directly with the Mana Wynwood Convention Center before paying any participation fees.
Small Business Saturday, the national campaign created by American Express in 2010 to promote shopping at local brick-and-mortar businesses, falls on Saturday, November 28, the day after Black Friday. In Miami-Dade, the confirmed event is "Small Business Saturday by Elevate Local Shops" at 11:00 a.m. at The Doral Yard in Doral/Medley. Businesses can register on American Express's Shop Small map, which requires accepting Amex cards, with changes taking up to three days to appear, and can download free English and Spanish promotional materials. American Express also announced in October a $5 million Shop Small grant program for 2026. Entrepreneurs can access free City of Miami advisory services on permits and licenses, and incentives of up to $50,000 from the Miami DDA for businesses in Downtown and Brickell, provided they apply before signing any lease.
The Miami Makers Market & Small Business Expo, organized by Greenway Arts Alliances, runs Friday, November 20 through Sunday, November 22, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Mana Wynwood Convention Center, 318 NW 23rd Street. Admission for the public is free. The three-day in-person market is intended to bring together artisans, local manufacturers, specialty food vendors and small businesses. The article cautions vendors that the exhibitor-space contact uses a personal Gmail account and that the event does not appear on the venue's official fall 2026 schedule, advising them to verify directly with the Mana Wynwood Convention Center before paying any participation fees.
Small Business Saturday, the national campaign created by American Express in 2010 to promote shopping at local brick-and-mortar businesses, falls on Saturday, November 28, the day after Black Friday. In Miami-Dade, the confirmed event is "Small Business Saturday by Elevate Local Shops" at 11:00 a.m. at The Doral Yard in Doral/Medley. Businesses can register on American Express's Shop Small map, which requires accepting Amex cards, with changes taking up to three days to appear, and can download free English and Spanish promotional materials. American Express also announced in October a $5 million Shop Small grant program for 2026. Entrepreneurs can access free City of Miami advisory services on permits and licenses, and incentives of up to $50,000 from the Miami DDA for businesses in Downtown and Brickell, provided they apply before signing any lease.
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