Imagine Better and Faster Connections

Univision.com recently ran a story that described how my home city of Miami is attracting entrepreneurs from all over the world, becoming a hub for tech talent, and connecting South America with the rest of the world via the United States.

When I moved here, I already knew about many of Miami’s benefits, including warm winters, and a great outdoor lifestyle. Beyond the weather and abundance of leisure activities though, what soon began to pique my interest was how someone is able to make significant business connections right after moving to Miami. Compared to other major cities, people are able to make more meaningful connections at a significantly faster rate.

The city of Miami, with great leadership, has evolved into a place where you can go to the gym and meet five CEOs of different startups on the way in and five VCs on the way out. And since many companies allow their employees to work remotely, residents of Miami have the best of both worlds: virtual networking and in-person opportunities.

Many forward thinkers (including myself) see new cities evolving in the same way that Miami has, and faster than ever before. These new cities will be valued in the trillions, just like Apple, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft — and many of them will be created in our lifetimes. Entrepreneurs will soon begin creating new cities like they do new companies.

We’ve all had the experience of driving down a familiar street and seeing a new development that seemed to spring up overnight. Imagine seeing not just one development pop up, but entire blocks and communities being built so rapidly that it will seem as if we have stepped into a time machine. Imagine an area that looks like a barren desert. The next day, you visit the same desert and can buy fresh vegetables in a bustling market that is already booming with commerce. And in this new city, you can enjoy a trip across town in a flying rideshare or travel to another metropolis in less than an hour via hyperloop.

I have written about the rise of the “city-states” before, and this week I am reminded that in many ways, COVID-19 brought this vision closer to actuality because of the need for local, autonomous food sourcing and healthcare. As we step into the future and a post-pandemic world, places like Miami remind us of our longing for better connections and a hopeful future that has eluded our communities for what seems like an eternity.

For more forward-thinking ideas, follow me on Twitter @Shervin Pishevar